Expecting

Expecting

"The creation waits in eager expectation
for the sons of God to be revealed."
Romans 8:19

The announcement "I'm expecting", or the male version of "we're expecting", is always met with excitement and enthusiasm, with handshakes and hugs, with congratulations, happiness and, occasionally, applause. It is such a commonly used phrase that Websters includes in its' definition of the word expecting "to be pregnant, to await the birth on one's child". But it's the other definitions that have been on my heart all week as I've had the opportunity to spend time in prayer.

Webster's also defines expecting as "to anticipate, to look forward to the coming or occurrence of something, to considerable probable implying a high degree of certainty" and it includes the idea of preparing and envisioning. And it's in that usage that we see the thought of expecting and expectation scattered throughout the Bible.

One of my favorite verses is found in Psalm 5:3 where David writes:

"In the morning I lay my requests before
you and wait in expectation."

As David prayed, an expectation arose in his heart of what the Lord would shortly do, a certain looking forward to the answer to his requests that he had laid before the Lord in prayer. He no doubt began to envision the fulfillment, seeing with his spiritual eyes the outcome of his petitions before the Lord. He easily could have made the announcement "I'm expecting", declaring "I'm expecting God to move in your life and in your situation" or "I'm expecting God to perform a miracle for you".

That same expectation is to fill our hearts as we wait to see what the Lord will do in our lives. Peter wrote boldly in I Peter 1:3 "we live with great expectation" and John talked in I John 3:3 of living with "an eager expectation" of what was in the future. For those who aren't experiencing that in their lives right now, the key is found in the very nature and heart of God. He is a God who loves his people, you and I. He is a God who is faithful to His promises-each and every one. He is a God who delights in answering prayers that are offered in faith by those who trust in Him. Like David, we can confidently lay our requests before Him, and wait in expectation for all that the Lord will do in our lives, able to say with a certainty "I'm expecting God to ............"!

God Bless,
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church