FORECASTS

When I heard the weather forecast a couple days ago, I decided it was time to set out my rain gauge.  With a forecast of up to 4” of rain, I was curious to see the exact amount we would receive, knowing that with thunderstorms the rainfall over an extended area can vary significantly. 

It was early in the morning and the sky was overcast, but the rain had not yet started.  “This is good,” I thought.  I haven’t missed anything. 

It wasn’t long before the rain began—intermittent through the early part of the day, but by late afternoon and throughout the night, wave after wave of heavy thunderstorms moved through the area.  I didn’t sleep well, often being awakened by lightening and thunder—and the sound of pounding rain. 

But, I was up early, curious to see just how much rain we had received.  As I stepped out into the backyard, the grassy lawn squished under my feet.  I hurried toward my rain gauge, hoping I wouldn’t get caught by another downpour.  

As I looked at the gauge, I couldn’t see the waterline.  Much to my surprise, the gauge was almost overflowing—5 inches of rain.  I quickly dumped it out, reset it, and ran back into the house just as a bolt of lightening lit the sky. 

The rain continued.  I got my binoculars out to check the water level in my neighbors’ backyards across the street.  The creek behind their houses was completely out of its banks and nearly up to their foundations.  Roads were closed from flooding, and many people had water in their basements. 

Finally the rain subsided late morning.  I checked the rain gage again—a little over an inch, for a total of over 6 inches of rain. 

The forecasters do their best to let us know what to expect, but they can never be certain.  They have no control over the final outcome.

No control.  Think about that for a moment.  Weather forecasters base their predictions on observation, computer programs, and their interpretative judgment, but they can never be absolutely certain of the outcome.

However, there is someone who does have control.  The One who created all has control over all.

When a storm arose on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus “rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.” (Luke 8:24)  And because he is God in human flesh—the creator of everything—he has the power to control his creation.  When we realize he has this power, we can believe what he says is true. 

Like the weatherman, Jesus is also a forecaster.  He has forecast the future.  However, his forecast isn’t based on observation, or computer programs, or his interpretative judgment.  It’s based on the fact that he, as God, is in control of the circumstances in his forecast.

While he was on earth, he ‘forecast’ to his disciples many things about what to expect in the future, and then challenged them to open their eyes: “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’  Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?”  (Matthew 16:2-3)

One specific “forecast” he gave them had to do with the beginning of the end times: “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.  But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”  (Matthew 24:6-8)  Hmmm…it sounds like our world today.

Forecasts.  We want them.  We want to know what is going to happen in the future.  We depend on the weatherman to tell us what the weather will be, even though we know it may not be totally accurate.  

However, as to the future of our lives—and of the world—fortunately, there is an accurate and reliable source we can turn to:  God’s revelation to us in the Bible.  It doesn’t tell us everything we want to know, but it does tell us everything we need to know. 

We can fully rely on its forecast to prepare for our eternal future.