MANNA FROM MY FATHER’S HAND # 15
(Originally posted 8/10/2023)
THE WILDERNESS WALK (Part 2)
Expectations
As we pass through what often seems like a wilderness on our way to the Better Land ahead, we are sojourners, temporary residents, even ambassadors from that other Kingdom.
This morning, a verse I “happened” to read from Proverbs stuck out as one worthy of remembering. Now, in reading back from last week’s post, and seeing the following sentence there, that verse is even more meaningful.
Quoting from last week: “Ten of the twelve came back with discouraging, fearful reports, focused on the challenges ahead. Two (Caleb and Joshua) came back with a hopeful report, knowing that God was with them and would help them overcome.”
The verse from Proverbs 10:28 ESV (even more poignant when thinking of the above):
“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.”
That verse originally sort of “jumped out” this morning because something about the idea of “expecting” things from the Lord has often rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. I know He promises us SO much, and we can stand on and anticipate His wonderful and profound answers to our prayers.
At the same time, that word “expect” seems to place me in the dominant position with the Lord instead of the submissive stance. It’s as if He didn’t come through with His end of the bargain, and life isn’t the way I EXPECTED it to be, so somehow, He has failed me. (Echoes the attitudes expressed in the book of Job in many ways.)
So, today’s question: Are our eyes focused on our King, with HOPE in the midst of any circumstance, resulting in JOY in the midst of sorrow, “expecting” nothing more than His gracious presence, working out His purposes in our lives and those around us, all as part of building His kingdom, as He creates in us hearts that are like His own? Or do we EXPECT God to do what we ask, make us comfortable and make sure we have no “problems” in our lives? Worse yet, are we simply EXPECTING things to go wrong, “because they always do” … having a bad attitude along the weary road?
“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.”
Enough to ponder for today…. Next week, let’s examine how our enemy often tries to distract and derail us in such deceptive ways. That topic was originally planned for TODAY, but this day’s MANNA is enough to give us strength for this leg of the journey.