What or who is 100% dependable?

What is certain? The bettors at the racetrack might say a certain horse is a “sure thing” and some say “nothing is certain but death and taxes.” As a child of God, I have to say that the promises of God are certain, yet at times I’m not so sure. Nevertheless, my wavering does not change God’s plans. He is who He is, whether I’m relying on Him or not. For that, I am grateful and often excited.

One promise is what will happen to me after I die. The Bible says on that day I will see Jesus face-to-face, and when I do, I will be like Him:

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. (1 John 3:2)

The uncertainty comes when I try to imagine exactly what it means to be like Jesus. I get glimpses of what He is like, but long ago realized that knowing my Lord is far more than facts and my emotional reaction to those facts. Every day I learn more about Him yet it seems His nature and holy character are far beyond my understanding.

Most of us don’t like being uncertain. As Chambers says, some level of certainty is the mark of commonsense. Yet the nature of spiritual life is about faith and with that comes a certain amount of uncertainty. For one thing, I’ve never been able to second-guess God. Christians learn to accept that uncertainty is a sure thing.

God tells us we don’t know what each day will bring. That is so true.  I also cannot imagine myself in any condition I’ve have never been in — like living eternally in a new body, or being face-to-face with Jesus, or not ever sinning again, never mind being fully like Him.

Even with that promise from God, I’m supposed to live here as a little child. I know what that means. A child seldom thinks about or dreads the uncertainties of life. Children usually look forward to each day with “breathless expectation.” In the same way, my life with Christ is an adventure. When I abandon all concerns to God and just do the next thing He asks, He fills my days with all sorts of surprises.

Chambers affirms that while I can be certain about God’s promises, I will always be uncertain of what He is going to do next. Some people continually claim otherwise, as if they have a link to His personal calendar. I have no such link and feel compassion for those who do when they discover they have the wrong calendar.

Being certain about God involves a personal relationship. We learn of Him through His Word, but must remember that Jesus said, “Believe also in Me,” not ‘Believe certain things about Me.’ When I put my hand in His hand and yield to the path He chooses, I’m never certain where He will lead, only that He will take me the best way for the journey. I also know that the surprises along that path will fill life with both uncertainty and joyful expectancy.