Expectations 

   “No man can master the wind so as to hold it back, nor control the day of death.” (Eccl 8: 8) 

   We go through life with many expectations.  Things we are confident that will happen if we properly plan and prepare.  However, the only sure thing, the only thing we know without doubt, is that this life will end at a time we do not know.  Shouldn’t we therefore plan and prepare for the one certainty of life?

   Life brings many surprises.  The one who expected to achieve great success in their chosen field fails miserably while another is surprised by unexpected success.  Some expect that in the normal course of things they will marry and be happy though many marriages are far from happy and often in divorce.  IRA’s, 401K’s, and savings plans of many kinds are used to ensure we have a comfortable retirement even though many will never reach retirement age.

   It makes perfect sense to prepare for what we hope to find in life.  Without proper preparation and planning nothing of value can ever be achieved.  Most try their best to take those actions they hope will make their life easier and more enjoyable and rightfully so.

   The question becomes are we planning and preparing for the one and only thing we know will occur in our life; standing before Jesus for judgement after our death.  No matter what we have in this world, nothing goes with us but our love of God.  We can’t buy our way into heaven, we must follow the path the Lord puts before us; there is no other way.

   Life is full of surprises and expectations that never come to fruition.  Eternal life is full of love, joy, and happiness in the presence of God.  If we want to realize those hopes of heaven, we must properly prepare ourselves for eternity.