'Hopeful Future'
Inspiration

Predictions always abound this time of year. Some are voicing their predictions concerning what will take place in 2008 politically, economically and otherwise, and with the presidential elections getting closer by the day there is no shortage of predictions and expectations about what will happen among the field of candidates who are vying for the highest officein our nation. (Much of what I hear about the election sounds more like speculation about a sports event than about something as serious as selecting a person to head the most powerful nation on the planet.)

I read some interesting predictions from the past recently in a ministerial column published by Rev. Phillip Wall. Consider what Roman engineer Julius Sextus Frontinus said about future inventions: "Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see no hope for further developments." We should all be glad that Frontinus missed that one- -especially since he made his prediction in A.D. 100. Where would we be today if all the new inventions and developments that we benefit from had never become available because someone centuries ago doubted that there was anything new to be discovered? And what about this one: ""The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon" (John Eric Ericksen, surgeon to Queen Victoria, 1873). If Ericksen's prediction had proven to be true, many of us would be in deep trouble today. And one more: "It doesn't matter what he does, he will never amount to anything" (Albert Einstein's teacher to Einstein's father, 1895). I think we know how wrong that teacher was!

The predictions that we hear regarding 2008 might prove to be as far from actuality as the several I cited above. Whether men's expectations about this year materialize or not, we can have genuine hope by clinging tightly to what God has said, being confidentthat He knows what the future holds and He holds the future. We have nothing to fear as long as we continue to trust Him and follow Him at all times and under all circumstances.

While we should have plans and goals that we hope to achieve this year, we must be careful not to forget that we do not have personal control of tomorrow. Proverbs 27:1 has this to say: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth" (NIV). Along this same line, the words of Christ recorded in Matthew 6:34 offer us perfect guidance: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

History has shown us that many of the predictions of men have failed to come to pass. But we can rest assured that all of God's plans will prevail. It is wise for all of us to choose to pay more attention to God and less attention to the predictions of men. God's Word will never fail. In Him we can rest confidently no matter what happens in our world.