Nobody knows what the future holds. We can no longer even count on the fact, like we have always done, that tomorrow will be “normal.” We are not to live in fear with dark imaginings, yet we are also to be discerning and prepared.
Proverbs 27:1
The Message
You Don’t Know Tomorrow
27 Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow;
you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.
Matthew 6:34
The Message
34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
James 4:13-15
The Message
Nothing but a Wisp of Fog
13-15 And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”
Matthew 25
The Message
The Story About Investment
14-18 “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.
19-21 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
22-23 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
24-25 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’
26-27 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’
As many of you might know, for the past few years I’ve been writing a Christian fiction allegorical novel for the tween and older crowd. This entire year so far has been spent trying to get it edited properly, the artwork for the book, and a few other details. I honestly thought it would be out by now. I would like to introduce it to the subscribers and followers of “I Can’t Imagine” by sending you to the “Coming Soon” post of The Rebel’s Hike Continues here on substack. I would be so appreciative if you’d subscribe and share, and be ready to rinse and repeat once the book is actually available.
I do not think I’ll continue writing I Can’t Imagine on any regular basis. It will be more sporadic than ever. I do not want people to continue to pay to subscribe. When your subscriptions are up for renewal, please cancel. Please subscribe to “The Rebel’s Hike Continues” instead, if you so desire.
It’s definitely that I’m not still grieving Morgan. I think you all know that will NEVER stop. Writing here helped me process that grief when it was in the rawest form. My heart was in the grips of a vice, cramping with the loss of my beloved daughter. Once the vice let loose, the posts described all the ensuing months of scar tissue forming over the hole that was left. My heart will never be the same - well, here on Earth. Someday it will be even better than the old heart!
I have appreciated every person who ever stopped by here, and I truly hope you will all migrate to the other substack so we can keep in touch that way. (Don’t pay attention to the date saying this was written 4 months ago. That was just a placeholder. Thank you, and love to you all!
Look forward to your new page! Love the name! I believe we are connected for a lifetime on Earth and also in eternity as children of God.
Love what you said about a new heart……amen!