|
From Rev. Brock Patterson
"What Will Happen? Is the Writing on the Wall?"
What will happen? I wish I had the answer. If I knew about an upcoming injury or illness, I could avoid the activity or see my doctor ahead of time. If I knew about a future decision that would hurt other people, I would quickly change my mind. If I could predict the stock market, I could finally buy another car. If any of this information is among the Writing on my Wall, I can't read it.
Last week my daughter and her roommate took a break from graduate school to pay dad a visit at the beach. Like always, I tried to help them predict and control the future by offering them valuable wisdom and sound advice. Yeah, isn't that what every daughter wants during her beach vacation? Haha! Unlikely, but they got it, anyway.
As a pair of talented 22-year old young women, the Writing on their Walls looks very different than mine. Their walls still appear to be written in hieroglyphics, while much of mine has already been translated into a variety of warning signs. That's why I feel compelled to offer them wisdom and advice, so they can learn from my mistakes and become successful without having to experience the pain of my failures.
All this pontification has helped me discover something: All of us still have some Writing on our Walls that has yet to be translated. And guess what? The uncertainty about the future is an opportunity for us to make choices that are positive, gracious, and generous. Yeah, we may not be able to reverse the clocks and take advantage of knowing the future, but our Faith in GOD is still significant enough to help us find the eternal treasure available to everyone.
Instead of trying to translate the Writing on our Walls, I think we'll find it's much easier to buy a new Sharpie and do some writing of our own. We still have something to say about what is Written on the Walls!
God Bless. Brock.
| 
