TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:10 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• My husband turned 50 on Tuesday, and all week, we’ve been getting ready for a celebration that starts today. Wayne’s best friend and his wife are driving in from Cincinnati this afternoon and staying for the weekend. This is their first time visiting us, and we’ve spent weeks planning where we’ll take them to eat and what we’ll do while they’re here. It’s something we’ve looked forward to for months!
Today, let’s talk about “looking forward.” That’s such a great phrase, isn’t it? It’s always positive. It’s always tinted with excitement… there’s something joyous about “looking forward.”
After all, no one, in the history of all humanity, has ever joyfully declared, “I am looking forward to my root canal!”
At least, not without significant sarcasm.
“Looking forward” is something we await with eager anticipation.
What is something are you looking forward to?
As you ponder that, let’s go to Hebrews 11:8-10. This passage says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
Abraham made the Hall of Faith because of his obedience and willingness to see beyond the right then and look forward to a promise from God. And as always, God was faithful. Abraham’s inclusion in this passage of Scripture that outlines faithful men and women of God encourages us.
God is still faithful to us. He is committed to His promises, so as we pray and study His Word, we can, like Abraham, be looking forward to all God has said He will do. Such as:
- We can look forward to eternity with Jesus because once we’ve placed our trust in Him, He has promised salvation. And we can’t lose it! Jesus said in John 10:28, “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”
- We can look forward to a purposeful life. At some point, we all question our purpose, but Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God does have a plan and a purpose for us. And again, turning to the words of Jesus, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). Additionally, in the event that you think you’ve messed up your purpose, I share one of my absolute favorite quotes — “If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this: you, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful” (Lisa Bever).
- We can look forward to His strength. We never have to worry about being enough because we’re all too aware of our shortcomings. But when we have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, it’s His strength that we can rely on, His power that equips us in situations we’re not sure how to handle. Philippians 4:13 reminds us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
- We can look forward to being made new and more like Jesus. As John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” And that’s possible because it’s part of God’s plan and purpose! Romans 8:29 says, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
- We can look forward to Christ’s promise to return. Not only will Jesus rapture His church (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), He will return in the Second Coming with His church, and after defeating the enemy, He will set up His millennial kingdom. According to Revelation 21:3, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”
There is so much that we as Christians have to look forward to. This is barely an infinitesimal blip of all that we can look forward to… In a world where headlines are largely negative and discouraging, open your Bible and read all that God has promised you can look forward to when You believe in Jesus Christ.
Today, as you pray, thank God for all He’s done for you and all you can look forward to because of Jesus’ salvation. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you look forward with eager anticipation and to stir in you a willingness to tell others of all Jesus has promised to them too when they believe.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
