Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
One morning recently as I was reading in Luke, this phrase, “a state of expectation,” stood out to me. I began meditating on it, as I sensed the Lord may have something to say to me.
Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ. Luke 3:15
Later in the day I received an email from Bobby Conner. This is what he said,
“God bless you Byron:
I am in Switzerland and was just thinking of you. God bless seek Big things from God. Eph. 3:20-21”
I knew this was the Lord; He was speaking to me concerning my“state of expectation”. Sometimes our plans, goals and dreams do not turn out as we expect. In fact, sometimes it appears that some of the things we thought may be of the Lord do not turn out at all. I think the guys on the road to Emmaus were thinking and feeling this way.
And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Luke 24:17
Notice that Jesus not only questioned them about their conversation, but also mentioned the sadness of their hearts. At that point, they thought Jesus was just another stranger because He appeared to them in another form. They were sad because all they were hoping and believing for did not turn out as they expected.
But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Luke 24:21
Jesus was the redeemer of Israel, but at the moment neither He nor the circumstance looked that way. I think that is where we have been this year, on the road to Emmaus, things have not turned out the way we expected just yet.
The bible is full of moments where it appeared things were not going to work out. Recently, I was reading the account of Paul’s second missionary journey and it stood out to me that the trip began with Paul and Barnabas getting into a major dispute over John Mark. The argument was so intense that they parted ways (Acts 15:36-41). You know that had to be very disappointing to Paul as Barnabas had been a very loyal friend and fellow worker for years, not to mention it is no way to kick off a missions trip.
Although this was a very disappointing turn of events, Paul did not give up nor lose his sense of expectation in God moving and working. God did do something, more than what Paul was likely asking or thinking. Soon after this parting of ways, Paul met Timothy who became Paul’s life long closest spiritual son, friend and eventual successor to Paul’s ministry (Acts 16:1-3). I know it sounds like a cliché but the old saying, “Our disappointments can become God’s appointments,” really is true if we will let go of yesterday’s disappointments and failures, and press into what God now has.
Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we miss the Lord, because we expect Him to show up a certain way and at a certain time and when He does not meet our expectations, we tend to withdraw and fall into disappointment. Temptation, luke-warmness, the desire for other things, and sin soon follow those who have lost their sense of expectation in the Lord.
It is God’s desire to do above and beyond what we are asking or thinking. Don’t lower your expectations to your personal experience and to the experience of those around you. If God always came through in the bible, He will always come through for us.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Many Blessings, BW