I started reading Piper’s Future Grace a few days ago. I am only on the second intro (of three) and I am already being challenged. One of the points Piper makes is that the Bible doesn’t use gratitude as a motivation for obeying and serving Jesus, but His future grace – His promises. Yes, we should be thankful to God for everything He has given us – especially the love He has demonstrated to us through sending His Son to die for our sins. But the Bible aims not to motivate us by past grace, but by promising us grace for the future. The two are not unrelated, though. The virginal birth, perfect life, atoning death, and powerful resurrection of Jesus that saves those who trust in Him happened in history, so that it is a past event, but it still holds bearing on the life of an believer (indeed, it’s the foundation of the life of a believer), and that one-time event also bought and secured all of the promises held forth in the Bible.
I think God is going to use this book greatly in my life. In fact, I think my faith needs it. So often I fall into despair and doubting when circumstances get really hard: when my mom is in the hospital, when my life begins to look different than I expected/planned, when I sense little direction from God, when those around me are hurting in so many ways. During those times, I usually doubt God’s good intentions toward me, which means that I am not trusting in His future grace, in His promises. And I don’t want to be like that. I, instead, what to be like the Proverbs 31 woman who laughs at the future because her faith is so firm in the God who controls it. I want to take God at His Word when He says that He works for those who wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4), that He is working for my good (Romans 8:28), and that He will never leave or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). Lord, increase my faith and help me to stand firm on Your promises.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. Psalm 37:5
