Wait and See

Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Matthew 6:25-34

“Where are we going, Dad?” asked Collin as his father turned a corner. “Wait and see,” Dad said with a wink.

“Psychic Readings,” Collin read aloud as they drove past a sign on a nearby building. “Have your fortune told here.”

“I’d like to know the future,” said sixteen-year-old Lena. “Like…will Sean ask me to Homecoming?”

“Yeah, it would be cool to know what’s going to happen,” agreed Collin. “I’d like to know if I’ll pass my math test tomorrow.”

Dad shook his head. “Fortune tellers don’t have the answers,” he said. “The Bible warns against going to them. Besides, not knowing what will happen is often a blessing.”

“Why?” asked Lena and Collin in unison.

“Well…suppose we had known last Christmas that Grandma was going to have a stroke the next week. Would you have enjoyed the day?” Dad asked.

“No, it would have been sad,” answered Lena.

“I read about one young man who was told he would die at age sixty-five,” Dad said, “so he began living very dangerously—driving like a maniac and taking other kinds of crazy risks. At twenty-eight, he was killed in a car crash.”

“That wasn’t very smart of him,” said Collin. “He should have known fortune tellers aren’t always right.”

“Yet people still base their lives on the false predictions of fortune tellers or horoscopes,” Dad replied. “That’s very dangerous, not just because they’re so often wrong, but because consulting them is something God forbids. He’s the only one in control of the future, and we need to trust Him with it.”

As Dad pulled the car into a parking lot, Collin let out a whoop when he saw where they were. He pointed to the sign: Joe’s Ice Cream Shop Grand Opening!

Dad smiled. “You trusted me when you didn’t know where I was taking you, and God wants us to trust Him like that. No matter what happens in our lives, Jesus died and rose again to give us a future of eternal life with Him, and He promises to help us when difficult things happen. Because of His love for us, our future is good.” • Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?

Do you remember that the future is in God’s hands? He says not to worry about what you’ll eat or what you’ll wear. No one can predict what’s going to happen, and trying to do so using psychics and fortune telling is forbidden by God. He is the only one who knows the future, and He sent His Son to die for you so your future could be with Him. Trust in Jesus. He has everything under control.

Today’s Key Verse:
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust God with the future