The future is harder to predict than ever before. Most of us would appreciate a sense of stability which is not derived from the morning news. That's why Psalm 46 has come to be special to me in recent days.

Our Maker is asking us to trust his word and will, to do whatever it takes, give whatever he asks, and go wherever he leads. To believe that he has a plan to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

There's only one north you can always find, one map you can never leave. It is the privilege and mystery of a personal, intimate connection with the One who is the only Way, Truth, and Life (John 14:6).

Hard times can cause us to wonder if God still loves us. Apparently unpunished sin can cause us to think that his justice is fickle. But neither is true.

We're all looking for ways to ensure an uncertain future...what about the future most bothers you this morning?

He (God) alone can say, "I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention'" (Isaiah 46:9-10, NRSV).

We've been seeking the keys to real peace and happiness in this new year. With all the uncertainties facing us, where can we turn for direction and fulfillment?

Yesterday we asked about a solution to our quest for happiness in life. In a culture struggling with depression and discouragement, with an uncertain year before us, we're wondering if this is all there is.

Welcome to 2007. We're now in January, named for Janus, the Roman god of doors and beginnings. He was pictured with two faces, one looking to the past and the other to the future. Unlike Janus, you and I cannot see tomorrow, or even later today. But here's one fact I learned over the weekend: it's always too soon to give up on the future. Always.