Thursday, November 24 – Matthew 24:14
This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Have you ever been anxious about what the future may hold? It is easy to get caught up in anxiety and fear when we recognize that the future has so many unknowns, and even the things we feel like we know about the final days on earth are overwhelming to comprehend. Once we’ve placed our faith in Christ, these feelings of uneasiness may lead us to look toward the future with a sense of fearful urgency (“Jesus, come now before it gets worse!”) or selfish gratitude (“I can’t wait for Jesus to come back now that I’m good!”).
The heart God is cultivating in His people appears in Matthew 24. Jesus told His disciples that, regardless of the news we hear or the scary things we see happening in the world, we can be encouraged. God’s mission has not changed, and nothing will stand against Him as He carries out His plan to reconcile His creation to His kingdom. From the beginning, He has been in the business of reconciling people to Himself. Even as the things of earth fall apart, His mission will not change. The gospel continues to be preached so that many will be saved and changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Further, God has promised that the end will not come before His truth has been proclaimed through the whole world.
As you celebrate this Thanksgiving Day, joyfully reflect on what you’re grateful for and painfully grieve who and what you miss around the table. Praise be to God that the hope that anchors us and the mission that drives us does not change, even when everything else does. Today, tomorrow, and to the end of days, the gospel will be preached to the nations and God has called us to join Him in this work.
• How has God been at work in your life as you have shared His hope with others this year?
• Who are you praying for to come to faith today?
• Pray and thank God that His promises are unchanging. Pray also for the person He brought to mind who doesn’t yet know Him.
