“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” 

How fast does the future move?  We find ourselves saying that the future “sneaks up on us”, but that isn’t true as the future comes at us no fast than how time of the future passes.  Yet, is does feel like the future comes at us fast and sometimes it can even startle us.  I was at the Institute of the Future this past week and walked away being reminded that while we can’t predict the future we can, if we work at it hard enough begin to make some assumptions about what might happen that would prepare us for when the future does arrive.  But still, the future does like to snap our heads back every now and then.  Thanks to this picture given to me by futurist Herman Gyr, you can expect to have your eyes opened.  Compare these pictures from the past two Installments of the Pope:

This picture also stands as a reminder to us that our time on this earth is fleeting and that our future is to be firmly planted in God’s Kingdom. God has His plan for each of us and when and how that future shows up is not in our hands, but instead are to be given to Him for us to follow in faith. As we think about how we will bring glory to God in our work today, tomorrow and going forward, let’s focus on what we can do today to be prepared and ready for what God has in store for us.  His future for us is bright!

Reference: Jeremiah 29:11 (New Living Translation)