A Hopeful End

Humans have expectations. It is impossible for any of us to enter a situation without these expectations. In marriage, raising children, attending church, and working a career, expectations impact how we assess our lives. We impose these expectations on God’s work in our lives as well. As we take in the world around us, we develop expectations of how our lives and futures should look. Then we expect God to fulfill those expectations as we live our experiences. But God often works in ways that we don’t expect. He ignores our expectations working in ways consistent with His wisdom and character. The reality of life is that God has a higher and more important purpose. He has a plan that He has made and that He has promised to fulfill. For example, God promised Abraham that He would bless the nations of the earth through Abraham’s seed. He also promised Israel that Israel’s position as His people is as sure as the order of the heavens. He further promised to bring the good work He began in us to completion. Because these are promises, we can hang our expectations on them. They will come to pass. But those are outcomes; we are more likely to get hung up on the process. In Judges 21 God fulfills His covenant by saving the line of Benjamin in spite of another bad vow and a civil war. But the way He goes about it is a little jarring and uncomfortable to our Western ears. Sometimes God even uses the foolish ideas of men to sustain and fulfill His promises. He’s just that good and wise. This is a hopeful truth. It doesn’t mean that we should be purposely foolish or throw caution to the wind. It does mean that we shouldn’t fret about the outcomes of our honest decisions. God can handle the outcomes, and He can work to make it exactly like He has determined it will be. He’ll save me, transform me, and make His glory seen in me. This should give us courage as we choose careers, marry a spouse, raise our children, and decide to retire. As we try to honor God in these decisions, He’ll use the ups and downs that come with all decisions to perfect His plan in us. That’s all the assurance I need. –Pastor Rory

Sunday at Liberty

9AM: God Restores His People–Ezra 10

10AM: Pastor Rory–A Hopeful End–Judges 21 (sermon notes)

6PM: Evening Gathering–Woe to Legalism–Matthew 23:16-36