Secured Uncertainty.

“The Christian walk is secured uncertainty!” This comment just rolled off the tongue of a Christian farmer who was recently interviewed for his dramatic career shift from the IT world to the world of farming.

When we live by faith it may, at times, be easy to expect certainty and a foreseeable future. But that if often not the case. Elijah expected a political uprising but was met with the death threats from Jezebel, the queen. Jonah expected sulfur and brimstone to reign down on Ninevah but got God’s mercy in the form of a vine that gave him shade. 

Admittedly, I expect certainty in my life even though the very concept of faith (Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”) is about the unknown. This means that we will not always see the end or the result that we might be expecting. It is out of sight or ends up being something other than what we envision.

That’s the uncertain portion of this farmer’s pithy phrase (“secured uncertainty”). what about the “secure” ingredient?

Our faith is not in something that is uncertain. Our faith is based in the one who has secured our future. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus has authored our faith and he is the perfecter of our faith. Because Jesus is perfect and cannot ever make mistakes, when our faith is in his hands, we have a secure future, even though it is uncertain. 

How do we approach each day knowing that the Christian life is a secured uncertainty? A piece of advice from a Christian writer (Lisa Breninkmeyer) may be just the help we need: “start every day with the one who has seen every moment of history.” God’s eternal Word is not only our daily bread, it is our connection to a stronger trust in the One who sees the front end of eternity as well as the back. His Word and His Spirit cement us to a dependence in Jesus, even though all the details of our future are not necessarily open to us. Jesus authors our faith and perfects our faith. And that is founded in a firm blood-bought relationship with God’s perfect Son, our Savior.

Our future is often uncertain; but thank God, through Jesus Christ, it is secure. I’ll leave you with verse one of a favorite hymn of ours:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

  On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

  All other ground is sinking sand.

Peace to you in Christ!