The title to this blog might seem a little strange to some. We might answer that question quickly by simply naming the town or city we call home. For example, I live in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. You can name your location, and give the question no more thought.

But what if we think of the question differently? What if we, for a moment, think not about a physical location, but rather a mental, even emotional, location. For some, they would have to admit they live in the past. Others might say they live totally in the present. But how many of us could say we live in the future? Well, not IN the future, but from the perspective of the future. Let’s give this some thought for a few minutes.

First, let’s think about those who live in the past. They are haunted by failures of the past, or they bask in victories of the past. Conversations are focused on past events. Perhaps some have experienced some horrific failure in the past, and because of that they reckon themselves to be failures. They are shackled by that failure. Perhaps they even have someone in their life who won’t let them forget about that failure. They are constantly being reminded of that experience, and can’t seem to move beyond it.

Then there are those who have experienced a great loss in the past, and cannot get over it. It may have been something traumatic, like the death of a spouse, or a divorce, or a business failure, or a bankruptcy, or the waywardness of a child. Admittedly, these are daunting, and yes, even haunting events which grab us and keep us in their tenacious grips. Every day now is a constant reminder of that person, that event, that loss, that failure. And now, their lives are dictated and determined by the haunts of the past.

Second, think for a moment about those who live totally in the present. They are not shackled by the experiences of the past. As a matter of fact, for some, they have actually learned from their past failures and victories, and are better because of those experiences. However, they are locked with tunnel-vision on the events of the present moment. They allow the news to dictate how they feel. They allow the surrounding circumstances to determine their moment-to-moment attitude toward life in general. Their lives are like a virtual roller-coaster: up one moment only to be crashing down the next. Their contentment and happiness in life is dictated by things that are completely beyond their ability to control, and they swing back and forth between a state of ecstasy and a state of agony.

It seems that vast multitudes are living their lives from this perspective as we go through our present crisis. Oh, and by the way, if it were not for this present crisis it would be something else. Folks who live completely in the present moment are often swayed by whatever circumstance is present and prevalent at any given time.

Third, there are those who live life today, not shackled by events of the past, and not by circumstances of the present, but from the perspective of the future. Admittedly, this can be rather tricky. It really comes down to how you view the future.

Some can’t live life from the perspective of the future because, to them, the future is completely unknown and unknowable. And, I guess to some degree that is indeed a reality of life, at least from a temporal perspective. For example, none of us can know with certainty what will happen tomorrow. We make our plans, and place a great deal of hope that those plans will come to pass. But in reality, there is no certainty they will.

I have never met a single person who planned to contract cancer, or lose a spouse to a horrible accident, or have a devastating financial setback. We don’t plan those things, but they still happen. So, when we are talking about the future in terms of the duration of our physical life, then there are many uncertainties which cannot be known.

But that is not what I am speaking about when I refer to living life from the perspective of the future. For the believer in Jesus Christ, there is an absolute future that we can speak of with utmost confidence. By reading the Bible, we see a clear picture of the future. That future entails an absolute victory by God over all the enemies of God, and over all who oppose God.

But there’s more. The Book of Revelation tells us that there is a future in which there will be no more sickness, separation, suffering, death – those realities of the present that too often attack us and enslave us. For many, we have experienced the horror of those realities in the past, and are living life in the present in the shackles of the past. Others are experiencing life in the present by some form of sickness or separation, and we can’t see any way around, through or beyond it.

But for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, we see beyond it all to a sovereign God seated upon His throne, having all things in control, and moving those things to their appointed end. Yes, there is an appointed end to this present historical period. The consummation will come as determined by God. And, according to the teaching of Scripture, the victory is ours.

Admittedly, the victory is a present reality, but will not be fully realized until that future day already appointed by God. However, knowing the victory has already been determined makes the experiences of the present, and the painful memories of the past, much more bearable.

An illustration might be helpful to explain what I mean. Those who know me know that I am an avid Dallas Cowboys fan. I have been a fan since the age of ten – fifty-eight years! I never tire of watching the Cowboys play. There are times when I am able to watch the game live. From the opening kick-off to the closing tick of the clock, I do not know what is going to happen. The outcome of the game is uncertain, and oftentimes I am literally on the edge of my seat with eager anticipation as I await the outcome.

There are other times I am not able to watch live, so I record the game in order to watch later. Sometimes, a well-meaning friend will tell me the final score before I have had opportunity to watch the game. It takes all the suspense out of the game for me. Granted, I don’t how the game will play out – I just know how it will end. I can watch stress-free because I know with certainty the end of the story.

I may not know what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. But I do know the end of the story.

Let me close by encouraging everyone to strive to live life today, not shackled by failures, or even victories, of the past, and not enslaved by the crises of the present, but by focusing on the end of the story. Let’s look with longing anticipation to that day when we will see Jesus face-to-face. That is the reality of the future. Let it be the reality of this day, and every day, until He comes.