The Hope of Overmorrow: Overmorrow

Beloved People of God,

I once found myself in conversation with a futurist. He’d published several books and was well-known for his study of the future and his predictions on where things were headed. At times it was as if he was looking past the curve of the earth and seeing what tomorrow was bringing. When I asked him how he went about making his predictions for the future, his response was just as surprising. He said the best way to predict what will happen tomorrow is to be fully present today.

What a short answer but such a tall order. As we’ve been reading the book of Ruth, we’ve seen Naomi overcome by the suffering of yesterday, overwhelmed with the difficulties of today, and full of anxieties for tomorrow. It would be easy to predict a tragic ending if this was the sum and substance of the book! But all of that is outweighed by the actions of two people. Ruth’s friendship and Boaz’ covenant obedience foreshadow the hope of chapter four. If we’ve read each chapter well, the kindness of God, poured out through Ruth and Boaz into the life of Naomi, tells us where the story's going.

Friends, being present today in Christ, we know what the future holds, we can see where our story’s headed. In Jesus, the hope of overmorrow colors every day and every dawning. In Jesus, eternal hope is written on every page and every paragraph of our lives. We feel this hope in the Holy Spirit’s invitation to unpack our past. We see it in the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We perceive it in the empowering move of the Spirit calling us to deeper faith, to greater trust. Knowing the kindness of God, we are giving new space to surrender our anxieties, bringing our prayers and petitions to the Father with hopeful confidence, as the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guards our hearts our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4.6-7).

Today, be present in someone else’s life. Share with them the hope of overmorrow, your hope for eternity.

For His Name’s Sake,

Brett