Anticipated Action

Every Christ-follower has a future. The anticipation of this promised future is the compulsion of a believer’s life. Convictions, choices, and changes are made today based on the future.

The Apostle John described this future in I John 3:2 – “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” Therefore, we must busy ourselves preparing for this future moment.

The great Baptist preacher Rev. E.V. Hill once hired a young girl to be his secretary. He did not know who she was other than her name. One day one of his friends came by and said, “Do you know who your secretary is?” Hill responded, “Of course. Her name is Natalie Cole.” The friend said, “But Pastor, do you know who Natalie Cole is?” Hill said, “Of course. She’s a very nice young lady who works very well here at the church, and we pay her $2 an hour.” The friend said, “No, that’s Nat King Cole’s daughter—THE Nat King Cole.”

Hill was stunned. He asked Natalie to come into his office and asked her if she was indeed Nat King Cole’s daughter. “Yes,” she said. “Why didn’t you tell me?” asked Hill. She said, “I didn’t know it was required. I just wanted a job. My daddy left me something, but I haven’t come into it yet. It won’t be mine until I’m 21.”

Like Ms. Cole, we won’t come into our future promised by our father until later. But, until then, our waiting is not passive but rather an active pursuit of righteousness.