Confident Expectation

I struggled with the title of the post. So many options...Why Are We Surprised? Where's Your Confidence? Filled With Anticipation. Are You Expecting? I'm Expecting. (Now that would've perked up your eyes, huh?) Why are we surprised when God answers? Maybe you aren't...maybe we aren't. Let me explain. I was mowing on the Lord's Day...I know some say that would be a sin but I guess it's a matter of definition of "work". I see it as therapeutic and not work. Do I wish I didn't have to impose on my schedule to do it...yeah!! But oh the sense of accomplishment when it's done.

I was almost done...it takes about 60 minutes and I had about 15 minutes remaining. I know, if you saw my yard, you'd think I was a speed-demon! I was mowing the front and I felt something hit my head. Of course, my natural reaction was to wipe my head. As I did this and then looked at my hand, I thought 'oh, wouldn't you know I'm gonna look and have bird doo-doo on my hand." Nope. Hmmm...as I turned the corner, facing the drive, I saw it....rain drops on the driveway. Oh no! I only have 15 minutes left. If I had only not stopped to get a drink of water and pull a few weeds, I would be done! Oh I can't have a partial yard mowed! It was almost like I held my shoulders up and said, "Lord, please let me finish this yard." I then affirmatively thought, "it is not going to rain until I'm finished." It was almost like I claimed it from the Lord. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16 Isn't that exactly what He did...provided grace to help me finish my task at hand. Without realizing what I did...I approached His throne with confident expectation.

Well, do you know that I didn't realize I had asked this favor of the Lord until late Sunday night as I laid my head on my pillow. Of course, I got so distracted after mowing that I didn't realize it had NEVER rained. I lay in bed pondering on this and thus thanking my Lord for that. Feeling a little sheepish that I did not thank Him earlier but knowing He understood it was not out of ungratefulness but rather just busyness...or rather maybe out of confidence and expectation that He was going to answer and supply my need. I was absolutely sure it would not rain on Sunday. I can't explain the confidence and assurance I had. So much that I totally forgot about the request I made to my Lord. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Hmmm...so why at times do I waiver in my confident expectation of Him answering in other areas? If He cares about whether it rains and I finish mowing, doesn't He care about larger things like the condition my heart, the plans for my future, how to minister/serve, etc.?

I tell you all this to acknowledge that God IS present in all aspects of our lives. He DOES care about the small things. What if I hadn't been able to finish...well, I really wouldn't have minded. It'd have to wait for another day. But instead, my Lord wanted me to be able to accomplish that for whatever reason. Maybe just so I'd write a blog on it. Maybe just so I'd "see" that He is in every aspect of my life. Maybe so I could feel His deep love in the small things so that I'd be assured He is working in the large areas of my life. Maybe so someone out there in blog world would be assured that their Lord loves her/him like no other does.

Bible teacher, Henry Blackaby says, “After we pray, whatever happens next is God’s answer.” Wow. So, then we should conclude if we pray and earnestly seek God for answers, then we should expect Him to answer. We should be looking for His answer. Maybe we miss His answer because we are consumed with the answer we want and if we don't see "that" answer then we think He's just not answered. (I have a great song to post sometime that addresses exactly this.)

I see confident expectation or anticipation as really a way to define faith. We have faith, confidence, anticipation of what God will do for us, in us, and with us. I have a positive anticipation of what God is going to do in my life. What is the point in asking for things if we don't hope for or anticipate God providing. What I believe will occur seems impossible to the human eye but we serve a God who's specialty is in the Department of Impossibilities and He hold the title of Chief Miracle Worker. Will this confident expectation be with me and as strong tomorrow, next week, or next month? I don't know but for now God has provided me with the peace of assurance that He will do this. I feel like little Johnny who has asked for the big red fire engine truck for his birthday and he just knows he will get it. Little Johnny is excitedly anticipating the arrival of this truck. He just can't wait to get his hands on it. That is much what I feel. Confident expectation means we anticipate God will answer, perform, provide, deliver but we have to wait on His timing and continue to trust for that to come. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:23-24 That's power, I tell ya straight from Jesus' mouth and I'm not gonna argue it with God.

May we reflect today on the magnificent love and ever-residing presence of our Lord and Savior. Nothing is too great for Him to accomplish just as nothing is to small to be concerned by Him! But we must do our part and have faith in our Lord, trusting and anticipating that He will provide. Capture that. Relish that.

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 1 John 3:21-22

I believe I shared this scripture in my post called "Busy Signal". It is such a beautiful scripture and great reminder to go to God with confidence. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

Be Blessed in Him,