A Projected Future

[0:00] A Pastor's Reflections. A Projected Future. Exodus 38-21. This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted,! According to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. Psalm 8-4-6.

[0:24] What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visits him? Thou made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands. Matthew 28-19-20.

[0:39] Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

[0:51] And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. God has so created us that we do not have the ability to see ahead into what is to come.

[1:06] What God has done is to create a world of order that allows us to project into the future the order and structure that we have experienced in the past.

[1:17] We project into the future a 24-hour day consisting of sunrise and sunset because we have experienced and observed this same order in the past.

[1:30] We have no reason to expect this order will not continue into the future that we call tomorrow. In the same way, we will also project our current state of life into our future.

[1:43] In fact, many times, we will work hard to ensure that our current state of life remains unchanged in the future. However, the Bible seems to indicate that there should be daily change that differs from the experience of the previous day.

[2:01] Not a change that moves us to a new location or upends our lives, but an inner change that expects to continually see God do new and greater works in our future.

[2:15] 2 Corinthians 4.16 Yet the inward man is renewed day by day. Romans 12.2 And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind.

[2:29] In Exodus 38, we are told that Aaron's youngest son, Ithamar, was to be in charge of the keeping of the items that make up the tabernacle.

[2:41] For Ithamar, his whole life, up until about six months ago, had been spent in Egypt as a slave. Having then been led out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and to the Mount of God, I imagine he was feeling like nothing in his life was very stable at this point.

[3:01] Now he finds out that the amazing responsibility of caring for the implements of the tabernacle were to be placed in his hands. Truly an honor, but also a heavy task.

[3:15] How ready was Ithamar for this task? Was he expecting this day to be just like any other day? Or had he come to a place where he was willing to let God upend his projected path of life?

[3:30] As followers of Jesus, you and I can find ourselves in the same place as Ithamar. We have been tasked with something that upends our life, alters our plans, and places a heavy responsibility upon us.

[3:43] We have been tasked with caring for the implements of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been given a task that was unlooked for, unexpected, and beyond us.

[3:56] In choosing to follow Jesus, perhaps you never would have imagined the place you find yourself in now. Perhaps the Lord has tasked you with something that has upended your projected path of life.

[4:10] How will you respond? I encourage you to respond as Ithamar. Simply walk forward into what God has called you. Today, let God set the projection of your life.

[4:24] As a disciple of Jesus, you have something that Ithamar never had. The indwelling, enabling of the Holy Spirit. Father, thank you that the future is not only in your hands, but so am I.

[4:40] Thank you that the task of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not left to me to project into my future, but instead as a disciple to simply follow Jesus into the future.

[4:54] Thank you for equipping me by your Holy Spirit to be daily renewed and daily prepared. Amen. Amen.

[5:10] Thank you.