Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Proverbs 30:25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
THE ANT: A LESSON IN PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
The ant dashes across our picnic tables and scurries across our sidewalks. For such tiny creatures, they always seem so very busy. Perhaps you have seen an ant carrying away a leaf many times its own weight, or maybe you have noticed harvester ants collecting seeds for storing away and eating later. In summer, the ants gather what they need so that when the scarce days come, they can survive.
Like the ant, we prepare for the coming days too. When a storm is headed for the gulf coast, people stock up on food, water, and other necessities. While our children are growing up, we might prepare for the future by helping them save money for college.
If it is good to be ready for the coming days with respect to earthly matters, how much more important to be ready for our heavenly futures! The prophet Isaiah said: "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near" (55:6). In the book of Ecclesiastes we are told (12:1): "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth." If you miscalculate regarding how much money to set aside for your retirement, that is only an earthly problem. If you are not prepared to enter your heavenly rest, that is in eternal problem.
How do we get ready for a future with the Lord? We drown our sinful natures daily in contrition and repentance. We look to Christ and trust Him with our futures -- trust that He has fully atoned for our guilt at the cross and will take us to be with Him. We do as the writer to the Hebrews urges (12:1-2): "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith . . ."
We may be creatures of little strength, yet we are wise if, like the ant, we are ready for the future.
