The Future is so Bright

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.” -Isaiah 60:1

God's people have something to look forward to. His grace, provision, and favor are not only theirs but are leading somewhere: to life with him. This hope is realized in Jesus, the One who reconciles people to God. Now those in Christ have a future that is incredibly bright, beyond our dreams.

We have a future of resolution, of no more sin and pain, of no more brokenness in the world. A future of dwelling in God's presence forever.

This, deeply understood and embraced, will bring celebration and the fuel we need to not only get through the day, but to rejoice along the way. When everything goes well, we can anticipate the future when it will all go as planned and perfected. When things are tough and seem to be ruined, we can look to the glory being revealed in Christ and rest, take heart, and hope.

Today, in Jesus, let your promised future energize how you live reflecting his light.

Repositioned Generosity

“And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.” -Deuteronomy 26:11

God gives Israel instructions on tithing. All this responsive sacrifice and baskets of first fruit may seem weird to us now, but it actually has a Gospel application. For those of us in Christ, we can be generous in ways that Israel could never fully grasp.

We don't have hard and fast guidelines on numbers or portions because now in the New Testament, giving is more whole-life oriented and sacrificial. It is a generosity that those around you might consider “painful.” But our hope is not in the giving; our hope is in the good that the Lord has given to you.

For Israel, this was a land that was promised. For those of us in Christ, this is salvation, transformation, and a future grace that we can't even fully imagine. It is from the reality of these gifts that we have a repositioned generosity. We can give—not in order to receive something, but because we already have been given more than we could ever imagine. Giving from the grace of God is such a sweet thing.

It reveals the place of our hope, our trust, and our joy. Because you are who Jesus says you are today, you can join in and rejoice in all the Lord has done.

Today, might you be generous in new ways? Be reminded of all that you have in Jesus. He really is our everything. Then rejoice!