What I expect this year shall yield.

"All of the LORD's carts overflow with abundance." (Ps.65)

Without doubt, I expect a very Zinzendorfian walk with the good Lord this year. No more muck and mire of the mind, no more repugnant thoughts and words and deeds. A peaceful, pietistic disposition and charity towards all. No longer the crude, stubborn and arrogant tongue-lashing. No Humean snideness, no Feurbachian theological projections, no incurvedness. Just a steady, bountiful and endless beholding of the beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ. I expect music, and to grow in the talent of singing, yet not for the praise of man but the pure joy of God. I expect very confidently and eagerly the infusion of the Spirit of Adoption, so that I may cry "Abba!" more and "Judge!" less. My hunch is that the Lord's perfect and invincible love will spill forth from the heavens out of nowhere and with suddenness, blasting away every last trace of fear my being has held on to. Before me the future will only say," Eternal Life!". The past and all of its gruesome shame and guilt will be obliterated and blotted out before my very eyes, and the present will be ecstatic goodness.

Somehow, in the LORD's unfathomable wisdom, all of this will no doubt take place in a manner which smoothly avoids Karl Barth's charges of natural theology and works-righteousness. There will be more laughter, deeper love for enemies, and a true delight in my fellow man...even the least of men.

And to take the cake, the Lord may just have it in mind to return on some summer evening with a soft breeze, a gentle glow, a tranquil lakeside walk and the company of a few good friends. Nor will his return surprise and shock us in the least. Like the faithful virgins our lamps will be perfectly trimmed and overflowing with oil, and with bright faces we shall lift our heads to the heavens and say to the Christ," At long last friend! What...indeed WHAT took you so long?"

Then the year will be assumed into the everlasting kingdom of righteousness, and through the infinite grace rendered to us unworthy folk we shall hear our Christ say," I know you! Come...do come! WHAT has taken you so long?" And then we will embrace and laugh, and Jesus will make me a cup of coffee that doesn't suck...and after that who knows what. It will just be awesome.

Yes, my friends, the future is quite bright. Jesus has risen from the agony of death, and on that count alone we are invincible.