Yesterday & Tomorrow

Shane Williams

When we consider what God has done for us in the past, we can move into the future with confidence.  We see this with the people of Israel as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land.

In Gen. 50, we read that as Joseph was dying, he made his brothers promise that they would carry his bones to the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (50:24-26).   Many years passed but when the time came Moses took the bones of Joseph as the Israelites left Egypt (Exo, 13:19),

For the next 40 years the people carried the ark with the stone tablets of the law inside.  They also would have been carrying with them the bones of Joseph.  The ark and the bones would have been reminders that the God who was leading them forward had been at work in their past.  Assurance and hope were both carried.

It wasn’t actually until the very end of the book of Joshua (24:32) that they bury Joseph’s bones in the Promised Land.

We as God’s people today can have this same outlook when we gather together to worship.  We think and talk about what God has done.  We also look at what God has promised for the future.  This is clearly seen in our partaking of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week.  We remember with assurance that Jesus died for us (1 Cor. 11:23-25).  “Do this in remembrance of Me.”  We also look forward with confidence to His return.  “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”  (1 Cor. 11:26).

This hope encourages us as we live each day for Him.  Are you living for the Lord today?