Future Praise

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Eternal; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Sovereign God, you never disappoint, you never fail, your promises never fall. Though Noah waited a hundred years for rain, he built the ark in joyful anticipation of your salvation. Expectation of your saving grace kept Abraham and Sarah laughing together in love as they awaited Isaac’s birth. Seven years of liv­ing in Judean caves did not dam the flow of David’s joyful singing as he waited to oc­cupy Israel’s throne. Today we know only a portion of the redemption that you have prom­ised. The fig tree of love does not blossom as often as we would like; the fruit of the Spirit does not always appear abundantly on the vines of our lives. The olive branch of peace often fails in our families and among the nations. Fields are white for harvest, but the crop of faith remains small. Nevertheless, we know Jesus died and rose from the dead. In his resurrection we have hope. Though distressed now by various trials, we rejoice in faith. Though we have not seen him, we love him; though we do not now see him, we entrust our future to him; we rejoice with a joy inexpressible and full of glory. For in him we anticipate the experience of the glory of the riches of your grace forever. Amen!