Beyond the Weekend: GOD IS...
People have a lot of thoughts about God. Some say he is angry and vengeful. Some say he is a buddy or best friend. But what does Scripture tell us about God?
Understanding the character of God matters. It changes how we meet him in our everyday lives. It changes how we understand the world around us, and his work in it. And it changes our prayer life and how we talk and hear from him. Understanding the character of God leads us to living lives of obedience and worship.
Join Pastors Aaron Buer, Jeff Manion and Brad Holmes in our 10-week series GOD IS ..., a study on the identity and character of God, and learn how your faith can grow as you know God better.
Future Grace
Read: Revelation 21:1-7 Listen: Revelation 21
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Revelation 21:4-5a
Joseph didn't always see God's goodness in his circumstances. Yet Joseph had a bedrock faith in God. He trusted that good could eventually come even while in Potiphar’s house or in prison. Much later in the Biblical story, God gives the Apostle John a glimpse of how God will finally and fully undo all pain. God promises to one day wipe away all tears. There will be no more mourning, crying or pain when Jesus returns.
We can trust in God's promise of future grace, even when we don't see it in our lifetime. It might be future generations who get to see God's good work through our pain. We can cling to the bedrock of faith that in the end, God will triumph over every pain, sin and death. That truth doesn't make today's situations good but can change our perspective. Through faith, we can see beyond today to the story's good ending. Until then, we wait in hope and join John's prayer, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).
TODAY: Go for a walk around your neighborhood or in a nearby park. Take in the beauty of God's creation around you and imagine a world without death, decay, pain or tears. Thank God for his future grace and ask for help in trusting him today.
JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:
Read Isaiah 64-66. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Consider how Revelation 21:1-5 echoes Isaiah 64:17-25.
