by Rev. Derek P. Elphick
“I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope.”
(Jeremiah 29: 11)
What should we “do” with the future? We obviously can’t predict it or have any certainty about what will happen tomorrow or next month or next year, so why is it ever before us? At least with the past we have “data” to work with - we respond in the present to what has happened over the years and move forward with that accumulated knowledge, with experience by our side. There's a comfort in this kind of predictability, but just because the future is unknown doesn’t mean it serves no use. The future - tomorrow, the next day, next month, our life after death - is the “fuel" that keeps us going. We are quite happy to look to the future when we’re anticipating happy events like a get-together with family and friends, or a new purchase, or a planned road trip or a new job, project, or opportunity. But then the future turns scary when our worries and fears take hold. For some it’s the fear of dying; for others it’s their health or an unresolved issue from the past or a worry and concern about a loved one or friend. This is why turning to the Lord in His Word is so helpful, even if it's just for a few minutes. It's akin to going outside each day to get that all-important dose of Vitamin D from the sun. In a similar way our mind needs regular exposure to the spiritual sun (light), the Word, because this helps put our future in the proper context. The Scriptures tell us that the future is the Lord’s, not ours. Our future is in the Lord’s hands. He is the One molding us, shaping us, turning us into new people. Without us even knowing it, the Lord weaves and blends future considerations into our present ones, so everything He does to inspire us, to move us forward, to help us confront our hesitations and shortcomings is done to give us a brighter and happier future. The Lord's goal is to blend our past, present and future into one because then we are peaceful and happy with where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. For..."although angels have no care about things of the past and are not worried about the future, they nevertheless have a most perfect recollection of the past and a most perfect insight into the future, because their entire present includes both the past and the future within it" (Arcana Coelestia 2493).