Session 33

How to embrace the unknown

From 1 Corinthians: A 35-Day Devotional

We hate the unknown.

Everyone has to live with it, and we all have different ways of handling it. Most of us would not hand a car salesman our checkbook and tell him to surprise us with any type of car, nor would we go to a restaurant and tell the waitress to surprise us with anything on the menu.

And while we might enjoy not knowing a baby’s gender until it’s born, most of us would agree that the higher the stakes the less exciting and more fear-provoking living with the unknown becomes. This is especially true when we're talking about matters of life and death.

What happens when we die? What will heaven be like? These are questions Christians, including the church in Corinth, have asked for centuries. God gives us as many details as we need, but maybe not as many as we’d like.

As we get to know the character of God, it's easier to trust Him with everything, even the unknown.

So Paul explains what we do know using a metaphor the church can relate to — planting a seed and seeing what grows. Just like a seed looks nothing like the plant that grows from it, our heavenly bodies will be beautiful and unlike anything we know right now.

Likewise, we don’t have all the answers to anticipate eternity in heaven. Just like a gardener knows plants come from seeds, we know eternal life will come for those who put their faith in Jesus.

So, we look forward to heaven with the same anticipation of a gardener waiting for an unknown seed to grow. Instead of staring at the seed trying to figure out what the plant will look like, he cares for it daily, trusting and waiting to see the end result.

We nurture our faith by spending time with Jesus, going to church, and growing in our understanding of the Bible. And as we get to know the character of God, it's easier to trust Him with everything, even the unknown.

Reflect:

• Is there a particular area or circumstance where the unknown is weighing on you?
• What is one way you can practice giving your unknowns to God?