Caleb Kaltenbach has a reminder and a word of encouragement for people who are anxious about the future (and isn't that all of us, at one time or another?). He calls it "The God of Tomorrow Principle: Since tomorrow belongs to God, we can graciously offer hope to people today." This axiom encapsulates the two main thrusts I took from Kaltenbach's book God of Tomorrow: How to Overcome the Fears of Today and Renew Your Hope for the Future.
First, we should not forget about God's sovereignty and power. We should lean on the truths of scripture and the promises of God's word. Kaltenbach emphasizes the importance of constantly returning to the Bible, reading "verses that describe God or stories in the Bible that build . . . trust in his power despite overwhelming odds." In addition, "I have to be consistent in my daily prayer time" and take "time to think about and remember all the times in the past when God has been faithful to me." These spiritual disciplines keep us anchored in God and remind us to trust our present and future to him.
But it doesn't stop with us. We should "adopt the attitude of the Samaritan" from the parable. As we help people and empathize with them, they are "more open to what God wants to do in their hearts." As easy as it can be to be judgmental of others or aloof from society, like Jesus we should be connected, compassionate, and caring. Sometimes Christians can be "orthodox in our theology while committing heresy by how we treat others."
Perhaps Kaltenbach's axiom can be further distilled to "Trust God, love others." It's a simple principle, and Kaltenbach's development of it is readable and engaging. Using solid biblical exposition and plenty of contemporary cultural references, Kaltenbach challenges readers to increase their faith while growing in empathy and engagement with the world around them. It's a welcome message, and always timely.
Thanks to Blogging for Books and the publisher for the complimentary review copy!
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