Back to the Future

Whether it be Science Fiction or popular movies or prime time television, our world seems to be obsessed with the future. Paid advertisements claim to be able to give you a look into the future to help your investment strategy. Science Fiction dares us to dream of a time when transportation will be clean, cheap and effortless. Television and movies prompt us to consider what we would do if we knew what the future held.

Two examples really stand out in my mind - "Back to the Future," all three movies make us ask the question "what would change if I knew the outcome?" In the first movie, Marty sees the results of his temper and is able to overcome it. In the second or third movie, Biff knows the results of every sporting event and is able to make it rich betting on games. In another example, a new show is being advertised where the whole world passes out for 6 minutes and sees their future. While I have no plans to see the show, the plot it seems has to do with 2 things. First, can I make secure / avoid the future I saw, depending on whether they liked it or not. And second, is it possible to take advantage of the glimpse of the future to benefit mankind (or any particular man)

While interesting, the premise of both the movies and this new show are not "way out there." We can see the future of certain tendencies and behaviors - where they will lead us to, and we can chose to change them and modify our behavior to achieve a more desirable outcome. We can also make sense of the future to help us "bet on the winning team" or take advantage of the future we know is coming.

Perhaps you've already figured out where this is going. I've been reading in the book of Amos - Prophetic material telling Israel what they could expect, why they could expect it, and how they could turn the tables of judgment into blessing. "For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:" (Amos 5:4) Do we not still have God's promise of blessing, growth, and benefit when we follow him? We can chose what response we receive from God.

I'm also preaching through the book of Revelation. Having just finished the messages to the seven churches, I'm entering into chapter 4 - "Come up hither, and I wil show thee things which must be hereafter" (vs. 1b) Not simply the outcome of every major sporting event, or just a snapshot of my life in 6 months or a year, but a fairly complete picture of the end of the world. God is still on His throne, a look at where people end up based on their response to God in this life, and even God's final plan of how He seeks to get man's attention. Everything we need to know to make wise choices today.

Maybe, like Marty McFly, all you need is a glimpse of the future God has in store for those who reject Him - to change your thinking and therefore the outcome of your life. God is not willing that any should perish, He wants all of us to come to him. Or maybe you are a Christian and yet the cares of life, the pleasures of this world, or just pride have pulled you away from God and you are experiencing his correction as Israel in the book of Amos - the solution for all of us is to "Seek the Lord"