Hi how are you all today? I am well. I was meant to sing in the choir at the Community Carols in my town tonight. But this afternoon a big storm came through and it was cancelled. It would be an unpleasant experience to sit on a picnic rug on wet ground.
It had me thinking though around expectations. Our church was expectant that this event was happening and it would be a great outreach into the community. What happens when our expectations are changed?
First let’s look at the definition of expectation. The Oxford Dictionary meaning is: a strong belief that something will happen or be the case. Can you see the urgency of the meaning here? It is not just a casual belief that something may happen but a strong belief that something will happen. This is intense! It is also the reason it is painful when our expectations go unmet or are cancelled out.
Expectations create strong emotions. So how do we counteract this? By having a complete trust in God. Nothing takes God by surprise and He also doesn’t have Plan B waiting on the sidelines. God knows what’s going to happen and He has a plan in the midst of it. We have quoted Jeremiah 29:11 before. But to recap, God has good plans for your now and your future.
As it is Christmas season and the first day of Advent today, let’s take a look at the expectations surrounding the long awaited Messiah.
From the first chapters of the book of Genesis all the way to the book of Malachi, the story of a saviour was intertwined in prophecy and stories. Genesis said He would bruise the heel of Satan, Isaiah said He would be so badly beaten we wouldn’t recognise Him and Psalm 22 is the words He spoke on the cross. Ruth shows Him as redeemer, Esther shows Him as deliverer, Samuel shows Him as King and Job shows Him as the mighty one.
Is it any wonder that the Jews were waiting for a powerhouse who would again deliver them from cruel oppression. But that time God wasn’t as interested in our physical state as He was our spiritual state. We prosper in all areas when our spirit and soul are in alignment with God.
Jesus came as a baby which is what the Bible foretold. He was born of a virgin and then grew up. As an adult, He was humble, a teacher, a healer and compassionate towards people. Jesus came in a way the Jews didn’t expect and so rejected the One they had been waiting for.
Expectations won’t always come in packages we expect and nor will they be fulfilled the way we want them to be. But don’t stop expecting great things to happen. They will but will look way different but be better.
This week live in constant expectation that God is going to do something glorious. Just don’t miss the package.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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