The Best Is Yet to Come

<p>I once watched a video that asked an unusual question: “What year of life tends to be the best?” Pretty deep, right? Not surprisingly, the video didn’t come to a definite conclusion. Depending on what you think the answer is, you might either feel hopeless that the best of life is done, or disappointed when the future doesn’t end up how you hoped.</p><p>.</p><p>When I began wondering about whether the past, present, or future would be the best part of my life, a certain Bible passage came to mind. It’s John 2:1-12, where Jesus is attending a wedding banquet that unfortunately runs out of wine. Just when the party is about to be ruined and end early, Jesus tells the servants at thebanquet to fill jars with water. He does a miracle, and when a sample is brought to the master of the banquet for tasting, the water has been transformed into wine!</p><p>.</p><p>The banquet master was shocked. He didn’t know where the wine came from, but he praised the groom for saving the best wine for last. People didn’t do that: they used the good stuff first so that once people were satisfied, they wouldn’t notice the latter wine’s poorer quality.</p><p>.</p><p>When everyone thought the wedding party was ruined and over, Jesus transformed ordinary water into extraordinary wine. He saved the best for last, showing that the end wasn’t really the end. In our lives too, when we follow Jesus the best is always yet to come. Because He died and rose again for us, we can look forward to the day He will return bodily to earth, raise us from the dead, and restore His creation! Even if our present is hard, when we fix our eyes on Jesus and remember God’s promises for an eternity with Him, we have purpose in our present to live for Him, and hope for the future through our struggles (Hebrews 12:1-3). Our loving God works everything toward His good plan, and He can bring miracles when we least expect it. We may think our lives are ruined, but even through challenges He is working out His great plan. • Abby Ciona</p><p>.</p><p>• Do you more oft