“God has appointed another seed [future] for me.” Genesis 4:25 NKJV
“For everything you have loved and lost, God has appointed something better.”
My thoughts today are about “something better.”
There will be times when the future may not look promising to you. You will consider your present struggle, add up past disappointment, and conclude that the future is likely more of the same. That’s just discouraging. But the past is not an accurate forecast of your future, nor is your present experience a preface to every tomorrow. God’s promise is, “As your days, so shall your strength be . . goodness and mercy . . all the days of my life.” Deuteronomy 33:25 NKJV. See also Psalm 23:6.
Never look into your future without calculating a purposeful God as a primary factor in that equation? “And we know that (God causes) all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose . . to be conformed to the image of His Son.” Romans 8:28-29 NKJV/NLT. Your life is never devoid of God’s purpose, unless you foolishly choose it to be.
Man’s early history includes tragedies and loss. Yours and my history began with marriage dissension and family rivalry, and just kept getting worse. See Genesis 3-4. Adam and Eve were escorted from the garden because of their foolish disobedience, and later their family is torn by jealousy and anger that sees one son taking the life of another. Where is God in all that, you may say? He was working His eternal purpose, in spite of man’s miserable failure. The glorious promise of a Savior and God’s gracious redemption are spoken to the Tempter in the midst of man’s worst hour: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise her heel.” Genesis 3:15 NKJV.
Seed holds the future. After Cain slew Abel, another son, Seth, was born to Adam and Eve. Eve recognized God’s sovereign faithfulness, “God has appointed another seed [future] for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” Genesis 4:25 NKJV. Note this carefully; God “appointed” Eve another future. Someone wrote, ”There’s an appointment on God’s calendar with your name on it!”
Your future remains safely in God’s hands, “According to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 3:11 NKJV. Your future may seem lost by random misfortune, or stolen by others’ cruel conduct, or forfeited by foolish choices, but your story is not fully written yet. For everything you have loved and lost, God has appointed something better. Why believe anything less? Look for the seed of your future; don’t dwell in the sorrow and loss of your past.
Recently, my friend, Wayne, brilliantly shared a rich perspective on one of my favorite and frequently quoted verses, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT. Jeremiah wrote to a generation of captives in Babylon. They felt their future was taken from them; they thought anything good could only be found in Jerusalem. Your future is held in neither location nor circumstance; it is in God – His hand and purpose!
God’s plans include a grand future and a great hope for you. You will find that where you are, not where you thought you would be. Read Jeremiah 29:5-7 NLT. God’s direction to those captives sounds counter-intuitive, but is so very true. “My future is in Your hands.” Psalm 31:15 NLT. Live well now; rest your future in God. God always has something better for you.