Psalms 123:2

I’m so glad that John Piper took the time to write an entire book called “Future Grace” to underscore the future orientation of our faith that looks to God for grace in meeting all our current and future needs. For myself, as an American evangelical Christian, my theological backdrop has strongly emphasized the all sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross, my total justification by his blood, and my security in being saved. These are all precious facts rooted and established in the past work of Christ. I ought always to remember and be strengthened by such rock solid foundations.

But God’s people are not called to live out faith only as a memorialized appreciation of something that has already been fully accomplished. Rather, based on what has been accomplished, we are freed to look to God for all our current and future needs. God’s utter dependability to meet these future needs is promised to us. The delivery mechanism used to fulfill such promises is called grace.

Past grace strengthens our confidence, builds our assurance, and enlarges our faith; not ultimately so that we will have appropriate gratitude, but also – more importantly – that we would look to God again and again. God will never stop being an overflowing fountain of grace to meet our every need – turning every need into an opportunity for our eyes to be opened to the glory of the Lord enthroned in heaven.

I have so much greater joy in Christ knowing that God does not expect me to only rejoice in what has done for me, but also to look expectantly, as a servant looks to the hand of his master, for future provisions of His grace, goodness and blessings. Such grace is perfectly designed to satisfy my soul in all that God is as the pinnacle and source of all joy, beauty and love.

O my soul, remember what God has done, and let His established grace utterly prove His unwavering commitment to supply all your future needs, and all your ultimate desires with soul satisfying grace; grace that causes you to delight in the Lord of heaven; grace that satisfies your soul in God. Amen.

John own writes this sentence in the context of waiting on God to restore peace to us, after we’ve repented of a particular sin. His advice is that we do not jump too quickly from confession to restoration. Yes it is blessedly true that we have been fully forgiven even from the time of Christ’s death on the cross. Yet God is the one with whom we are seeking peace, when we turn from our hostile activity of sinning, and so is God who must bestow it. Forgiveness and restoration are ours by possession; they have, in fact, been given to us in their entirety through Christ’s death, once for all. Yet its application, such that we are fully healed and relationally restored to God happens incrementally. God is faithful and dependable. We need not fear his rejection, but we must wait for Him to touch us, and move by his Holy Spirit, thus bring us deep and experiential peace. We must use all the means God has ordained – repentance, confession, restitution, and repudiation, among others, yet God is the one who will decide when it is best for us to obtain what we seek by them, in this case, peace with God.

I think this principle is the same with regard to all of the means of grace God has ordained. Whether it be prayer, the Word, spiritual gifts, or simply general health. We must use the proper means of attaining these things, but the results are never mechanical or automatic, yet it is assured. God will bestow the blessings of grace upon us at the time, and in the manner that He, by his perfect wisdom, knows will be best for us. Normally, God is quick, sometimes instantaneous in bestowing blessings when we use means of obtaining blessing. He is so consistent and dependable in this, that it is no wonder that we sometimes begin to think of means, and bestowing, as automatically connected. Yet the bestowing of Grace always remains God’s prerogative, and sometimes, if only to remind us of this, he will withhold, or delay his blessing, even as we avail ourselves of proper means. He does this lovingly, carefully, and wisely, as a gentle shepherd and doctor to our souls. He does this for our good, our benefit, and our greater blessing. He does this for his own glory, and for his glory to be known by us most fully, which is, of course, our greatest good.

Consequently, I must be active in using and availing myself of every established and ordained means of grace by which I may lay hold of that which I need (and I need God). I must rise early. I must open my eyes to the Word. I must ask God for help. I must pray and praise and worship. I must seek diligently, desperately and vigorously. I must confess my sin in my weakness. I must look to Jesus. Because of God’s promises he will bless these means, but it is his prerogative as to how and when. It is for me to use the means; it is for God to bless them.

Thank you, Lord, for your complete and total faithfulness. Thank you for giving me life and breath and strength that I might use the means you’ve ordained. Please help me to continue to use them. Grant me steadfastness and perseverance and endurance in using all available means. Make me patient and humble, and happy to trust you for the blessing I desire and the grace I need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.