Thursday, September 16, 2010

What Does The Future Hold?

As what you might call a "potential mother", I've been thinking about the kind of future my "potential children" will have in the "potential" way the world will function in the next five, ten, or even twenty, years. After all, most girls my age do think about "the future" and the "potential" things that will occur in it.

For myself, I imagine doing dishes in a warm, light flooded kitchen with the smell of fresh-baked bread coming from the oven. Looking down, I find a smiling, chubby, curly-headed little girl pulling on my skirt. I imagine myself gently rocking a baby boy on a stormy night; his soft eyes look up into mine, seeking comfort and warmth. I see a proud Daddy lifting our shrieking two-year-old up onto his shoulder. I can almost feel the joyful tears run down my cheeks as first one, and then another of my children accept the Holy Spirit into their lives, and become witnesses for Jesus. I can almost hear their sweet, excited voices as they laugh together.

These thoughts were actually aroused by my Geography lesson in school today. From the view that this Geography lesson has shown me, which is a very commonly seen one, I find that the future doesn't look quite as certain and rosy as I'd like to think – as all of us- would like to think.

As far as I can see, the world is deteriorating rapidly. The moral decay creates such a stench that we can't get a whiff of the "pleasure roses" the world is trying to hand us. The whole earth has been in a fallen state since Eve's decision in the garden. It is the constantly diminishing morals that have made it worse.

Through almost every generation, children have faced something bad that their parents didn't have to face as children. I suppose, to us as "potential" parents, this would seem impossible. Things can't get any worse than they are already. This is not necessarily true – after all, our parents probably didn't think the world could get much worse when we were born. Every generation has thought "The end of the world is at hand!" God would soon come and take them home, "Because things just can't get any worse." By no means am I saying that the rapture won't happen soon. This is the "Evening time. In a twinkling of an eye God could call us home. However, it could still be a few years before we leave this world, and what will become of the next generation if it is?

If socialism ends up taking over America, will home school be outlawed? Will we comply with the wishes of the government and allow our innocent children to be indoctrinated with the beliefs of this evil age? Will we allow our ten-year-olds to be introduced to cigarettes and drugs? Will the few of us moms that stay home be forced to get a "real job" and let someone else raise the children God has given us? Will we have time to read the Bible and pray with our little ones? Or will they grow up hardly knowing God, or their parents?

Will our families be separated by all the different jobs and activities we have to do? Will we only get to see each other at the very end of the day, when we're all tired and too snappish to talk peaceably to one another?

What will become of our spiritual lives? Will we forget about God, and grow cold and hard? Will the busyness of the materialistic life take us over until the spiritual life is utterly extinguished?

As far as I can see, this horrible picture is all the future holds for the few families that will stay with God's plan for living. That is, unless something gets turned around, and without God, it's quite clear that all is lost. There's another problem with that though: America has already rejected Him. God is not a ruffian who will barge through the wall of America's wishes to fulfill His own. No, as a matter of fact He's a gentleman.

However, if socialism does fully take-over America, God will still be here to take care of the few remaining sons and daughters that have not given in to the world.

The rosy picture I have painted for the future may not be exactly what God's painting for my life looks like. Perhaps my little family may have its character molded in a different mold, a harder and tougher one than the mold I've imagined for them.

Maybe they will have to go to public school and face the persecution that will potentially occur. Maybe they will be presented with drugs and cigarettes, taught the doctrines, theories, and ideas of this age, but God will not be any less faithful than He has been before.

Perhaps the true Mothers will be forced to get a "real job" and leave their homes, but God is still on the throne, He works in ways we cannot see.

As for our spiritual lives, as in everything else, God can make a way. Think of the Christians before us! They were burned and tortured for their faith, killed for sport in coliseums and murdered. Still they remained faithful, even praying for their executioners who often fell down on their knees and asked forgiveness for what they had to do. Considering this, it shouldn't hurt us to spend an hour or two in study of God's word when school and work is done – which is when we think we're "too tired," and it seems really inconvenient.

Think of the three Hebrew children, who were going to be thrown into the fiery furnace because they wouldn't disobey God's word. God spared them, did He not? Won't He do the same for us when we're in trouble?

What about the miracles that have happened in our lives? In case you haven't noticed, God has a way of escape ready when we really need it. But it's when we really need it, not when we think we need it.

I hope and pray that my rosy little picture of the future will come true, and that my little ones will grow up in a peaceful, Godly, loving environment. That they won't have to face the temptations the public school system pushes in front of them, but will be able to spend most of their days in the haven of our home.

Yes, God may have a different mold for all of us, but His grace is sufficient, and He'll never give us a load that's too heavy to carry.


So why worry about the future? Take everything that comes your way in stride, knowing that God has plans laid for you, and He already knows what tomorrow holds. But just the same, it's okay to think about "potentials," but don't worry about them.



4 comments:

Maria said...

I agree Anna. Although, I honestly doubt these dire things you predict to come true soon.And yes, God will always be with us. Whether we have time for him or not. And I love your picture of your " potential" family!

Hannah said...

Very well done, Anna! You're on the right track. Very true! Wonderful post! You are so right. Do not worry about tomorrow, and take the path in the way God wants it to go. Everything is in His hands. Do not worry. God will take care of you. That reminds me of a hymn. "God Will Take Care of You." I like to sing that song whenever I'm not sure or worrying, or afraid. I'll always remember that God is always with us, and He will take care of you. *Hannah**

Bailey said...

I read this when it first posted but wanted to think it over a bit before commenting...'cause it's worth it. ;o)

We Christians talk big about the woes that are coming soon to a neighborhood near you...but we should focus more on the reformation that can happen when individual Christians decide to shape up and live for Christ. That's what is truly important about the coming age.

So many times the church has gone through dark ages, corruption, declining morals -- name it, we've gone through it. But the proclamation of the gospel is able to change hearts so radically that not only individuals but also whole nations draw near to God. God is neither a gentleman nor a ruffian -- He is God and He holds the entire course of history in His hands...and always has.

I guess I'd just encourage you to face the world as a Christian who is not in "survival mode" but is a soldier of Jesus Christ, armed with the Word, backed by His power, saved by His grace.

I really loved how you wrote this whole post. God is so faithful...He's so faithful. And the world can't undo what the hand of God fastens tight.

Anonymous said...

Well said, Anna! We are definitely living in the end-time, and there is much evil around us. It will probably get much worse. We must learn to trust God completely every day, and He will supply all we have need of!! Mamaw & Papaw