Everyone lives in the tension of the "already but not yet." Our past brings us into the present, and the future is yet to be written. Today we live between what was and what is to come.

The world we live in today is filled with all the realities of life in a sinful world. All around us we see the evidence of a world that chose against God and His "good and acceptable and perfect will"(Rom. 12:2), and "we groan" (2 Cor. 5:2). In this world life is hard for everyone, even believers. Yet, in this world we look forward to what is ahead. There is hope. In Christ, the future doesn't rest simply upon the foundation of the past. The future rests in the actions of God that led Jesus to the cross and to the resurrection. We move forward within the power of God who raised Jesus from the dead.

Tomorrow looks very good even though we don't know for sure when it will come to us. While "we groan" we also celebrate the fact that while we are here we get to live for God. Who would have thought it? All it means for God to be God comes to us everyday, and He leads His people forward to that day when we will finally "be at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8).

Between now and then Jesus calls us be faithful, "to be pleasing to Him" (2 Cor. 5:9). Realities that lead to groaning could lead us to self-pity, but they don't. Instead they lead us to live in this world in a way that pleases God. And how do we do that? In Galatians chapter five Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."

Go out and make Jesus look good. How? Put your life into His life and be people of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You'll surprise others, you'll feel good about yourself, your light for Jesus will shine, and you will be pleasing to God.

I’m in. How about you?