A Different Future

Millions of people throughout Europe reacted with jubilation. Why were they so excited? It was August 1914, and they heard that war had been declared.

It wasn’t just a quiet celebration. There were parades and enthusiastic public gatherings. Throngs cheered as soldiers left for battle. With confidence high, the crowds seemed convinced that the war would be short, and that “their side” would be victorious.

But some sensed that this confidence was misplaced. As Great Britain prepared to declare war, its foreign secretary, Edward Grey, said in a speech, “The lamps are going out over all Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” In Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II, after being told by his army’s general staff that they were mobilizing for war, warned them, “Gentlemen, you will regret this.”

It did not take long for this jubilation to fade. Instead of quick victories, armies became mired in month after month of seemingly endless, muddy, trench warfare. By the time the war ended in November 1918, more than 8,500,000 men died.

How often men and women imagine what their future might hold, laying their plans based on their view of the events to come. But the Bible is filled with God’s perspective on time. He wants us to realize how limited our grasp is of the future. Paul described this as being like “looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma]”(Amplified Bible).

Today, remember that God alone knows the future. His Word is sure. Let Him guide and direct your steps. Do not fear. You can trust your life to Him.