Eternal Optimists
In John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for what is to be the hardest few days of their life. He knew what was about to unfold. The disciples, at that stage, had very little idea. But Jesus knew, and his message was a message of hope. "Don't allow what you are about to go through to trouble your hearts. You believe in God- now also believe in me."
Whatever the situation we're facing, or about to face, remember this, we are eternal optimists. Jesus told His disciples to 'let not your heart be troubled' during the darkest week in history. If the disciples were to be encouraged about their future, we can be positive about our future!
There are three reasons I want to share as to why we can be eternal optimists.
We can be eternal optimists because our Heavenly Father is smarter than any situation we face. He knows what's happening. The position you are in right now didn't catch God by surprise. He's not in Heaven thinking, 'That sure blindsided me, I'd better get on Zoom to the Holy Spirit and find out what's going on down there!'.
In Genesis 22, Abraham was about to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice, when God told him not to harm the boy. Abraham lifted his eyes, turned around and right behind him was a ram whose horns were caught in a thicket. Abraham took that ram and sacrificed it to the Lord, and called that place 'Jehovah Rahah'- the Lord Who Provides. More literally, the Lord who saw this day was coming and prepared provision and deliverance in advance.
We can be eternal optimists because we have a Heavenly Father who saw in advance the situation we are in and has already prepared deliverance for us.
We can be eternal optimists because God's plans for us are not finished. Jesus was preparing His disciples for the hardest time they would ever face, but there was hope because He had called them for a purpose. He had a destiny for them to fulfil.
'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13
This scripture in Jeremiah was written to the Children Of Israel who were exiled to Babylon. They were there because, as a nation and as individuals, they had neglected to love and serve God. Even in exile, God's message to them was one of a future and a hope. God was telling His covenant children to lift up their eyes, to wash their faces and stand tall, because they were called for a purpose, and He wanted to help them fulfil that purpose.
We can be eternal optimists because God has an eternal purpose for our lives. He's not finished with you. He has plans for you to prosper in the call he has on your life.
Thirdly, we can be eternal optimists because God has promised to be with us, to be our strength and our source in whatever situation we face.
No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Joshua 1:5
The Children of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land. They would face many obstacles and trials, but God's promise was that He would never leave them or forsake them.
God has promised to be with us in whatever situation we face. In the Book of Hebrews, this same Scripture (Joshua 1:5) is quoted to encourage the Jewish converts who were suffering persecution and about to suffer even greater persecution. Some of them were imprisoned; others were being oppressed (Hebrew 3:3). The author wanted to encourage them to stay the course of their faith. They were to keep faithful to what God had called them to be and to do, saying;
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV
Whatever we, as a Church, as families and as believers face in the coming weeks, months and years, we can be eternally optimistic because we have a God who has seen the future, who has good plans for us and has promised to never abandon us.
