Great Expectations

February 6, 2021

Don't you just love waiting? Yeah, me neither! We ought to all be experts at it by now. How much of our life is spent waiting? We get to practice waiting throughout each and every day. Perhaps you are even reading this while you are waiting for something else. We do that, don't we; try to "fill in" the waiting time with another task so that it doesn't feel so much like waiting. Perhaps we feel more productive when we do that. Are you just waiting or are you expectant? One sounds a bit more encouraging, doesn't it? When we are expectant there seems to be more assurance of the thing for which we are waiting actually happening. Whoa, that is beginning to sound more like faith than waiting. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things being hoped-for, the conviction of things not being seen.

How can we transform our waiting to expectation and faith? Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. David's heart is key. Psalm 39:7 And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You. God is encouraging us to expect Him. Look to HIM and expect HIM. Not expect work, or your boss, or your child, or your spouse, or your bank account, or whatever else...HIM alone. I believe that when we are looking to HIM and not those things, that is when our Lord will do amazing things around us. Sometimes, it is just the slightest change in perspective.

We can look for a change in those things as evidence of God's work and find ourselves more focused on the things than God.

The slightest shift on our part can cause great impact. Let's challenge ourselves to answer the question: On what are we most focused, the Lord or the things we want Him to change for us?

John 8:11 She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.

We can likely recognize the content of this passage from this one scripture-the woman caught in adultery. I know we cannot know this, but do you think this woman was also waiting for something? Of course, in this passage, she was likely waiting for the stones to start flying toward her. I mean, however, before this day. Was she waiting to be "found out?" Maybe she was waiting for her "friend" to leave his wife. Maybe she was waiting for a change in her own circumstances. I find it hard to believe that she would have been content with the situation as it was. I do doubt, though, that she was waiting for the Lord to send away her persecutors, for Him to forgive her, and for Him to give her the freedom and opportunity to move forward in a new life. In what seemed extremely embarrassing, humiliating, and even fatal circumstances, He gave her that for which she had been waiting...a do over, a second chance, a new life. His simple instructions for her followed His incredible gift of compassion and mercy.

We have been given the same freedom. The Lord is encouraging us all today-He will silence our accusers, forgive us, and also show us the way. I know many of us are waiting for "something." May we not wait for what has already been done for us. May we "go on our way and from now on sin no more" and in His compassion and those simple instructions find that for which we have been waiting. GO seems simple enough but may be difficult to do. Trust that He has already prepared your way; just go and place your greatest expectations in Him alone.