If you ask anyone whether two years in a person’s lifetime is very much, the answer you receive will always depend on the perspective.
For the nation of Israel in the period between the Old and New Testaments, two years could be year 299 and year 300, with 100 more years to go before Christ is born.
For Israelites in captivity, two years can be year 49 and year 50 in the middle of the 80-year exile.
For a mature Christian, two years could feel like the middle of a spiritual desert, without end.
But for a baby, two years could be the difference between crawling and running, and saying your first words.
For a middle schooler, two years is the difference between carefree childhood and anxious puberty.
For a young adult couple, two years can mean from getting married to starting a family.
And then again, it could be the year 30AD and 31AD, the difference between waiting for a Savior and meeting Him face-to-face.
My point is that we do not know what is coming next, but we know that because we follow Jesus, there will always be something to hope for.
To some brothers and sisters, my two years as a minister at ECC were totally inconsequential. To others, my two years have been highly valuable. However, I cherish my last two years with you all because they will be a part of my next two years. I would not be able to do God’s work in the next two years without first being developed by the previous two years. The church member who has been serving for 30 years must first serve years 28 and 29, but also must serve their first and second years.
The world that we hope to reach with the gospel in two years depends on how we decide to reach the world now. Consider your actions, your thoughts, your treatment of people: Are you currently sowing the seeds that will produce pleasant fruit to harvest in two, four, eight, 16, or 32 years? Or could you be reaping the consequences of actions you sowed in the years before?
I pray that you will not be worried about tomorrow, but I do pray that you will be intentional with today.