The Next Thing & The Final Thing

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For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’” (I Kings 17:14, NKJV)

What’s the next thing?

That’s the question that drives our society.

First there was the remote control and cable companies piping in 100+ channels into our homes and we sat there numbly “channel surfacing” to see what the next thing was.

Then along came the internet and we “browsed” from one thing to the next ad nauseum.

Next it was social media and we spend hours “scrolling” numbly and dumbly from one picture, video and post to the next “liking” and “laughing out loud” till kingdom come. 

Always moving to the next thing.

Like children opening presents on Christmas and hardly enjoying their toys before moving to next gift under the tree.

We are conditioned to pursue the next thing. Endless versions of phones, appliances, gizmos, software, cars, experiences…the new, the next, the necessary (at least for now)…we’re inundated with this urgent cry to get the next.

But God has next things too.

And more importantly, last things.

And to lose sight of that, to allow the culture to drown out His agenda, His voice, His invitation is to short-circuit the vitality of true life and meaning.

Think now, what is God’s next for you?

Are you so busy, so occupied, so focused on the numbing daily “next thing”…

  • Just checking off the boxes
  • Working through the agenda
  • Taking care of your daily chores
  • Going through your daily paces

…that you are missing God’s next for you?

Just like the widow in our verse for today, things will eventually change. Jobs end. Seasons conclude. Children grow up and leave. Health declines. Suns set, shadows rise, and quicker than you realize, the end comes.

The ONE THING for today: In all your pursuit of the next thing, do not let it numb you to the reality of God’s inevitable last things.  Be prepared. Hold loosely to the passing trivialities of today and cling tightly to the eternal verities that will keep you in that final hour.      

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

By ourCOG