Psalm 89:3-4

“I have sworn to my servant David: ‘I will establish your descendants forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” (NRSV).

In the movie Airforce One, the President of the United States has been giving a speech. When he returns to his plane, he intends to watch a football games that has already taken place. He admonishes his staff not to tell him the outcome. He wants to enjoy the game as if he is watching it live. His staff, of course, having already watched the game know the outcome. From the President’s perspective, his staff “know” the future because they know how the game will turn out.

No person control the future or anything about it, but Father God. He is in absolute control. I can’t begin to understand how He can control the future and yet allow us free will, but His promise to us is that He is working everything out for our good (Romans 8:28) and so there is this dichotomy. And while we cannot know what will necessarily happen in the next five minutes, throughout the day, or even tomorrow, we do know the end of the story, how things we work out. We know, in a sense, which “football” team wins because we know that God wins, every time and in every way.

God has promised that David’s descendants (both Jew and Gentile believers) will be established forever and that his throne—upon which sits our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—is built for all generations.

There is a hymn by Ira Stanphill, “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow,” that talks about the future:

I don't worry o'er the future for I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand.

We don’t need to know what “fills in” the moments between now and then. Father God has each and every one of them in control and is working out everything for our God. We know the end of the story and that is enough.

© 2012 Robin L. O’Hare. All Rights Reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.