Worshipful Wednesday: Expectation's Hope - Denise Pass

by | May 27, 2015 | Believers, Body of Christ, Chosen, Christian, Christian Encouragement, Christianity, Church, culture, Israelites, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jewish, Joyful living, Kindness, knowing God, Mental Health, Moral |

Psalm 63:2-4

“Yes, in the sanctuary I have seen you, and witnessed your power and splendor. 3 Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself, my lips will praise you.  4 For this reason I will praise you while I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.”

Romans 5:5

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Proverbs 13:12

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.”

We all have hopes for this life.  Having to wait in this microwave generation seems unfair, almost impossible to suffer through.  When our hopes are dashed, phrases about hope and expectations are ready to help us cope with our reality.

“If you expect nothing from anybody, you’re never disappointed.”  If this were the case, it would be a pretty numb existence. There is a childlike joy in believing for a good outcome.  Christ did not want us to assume the worst and never dream.

“An attitude of positive expectation is the mark of the superior personality.”  Here we are told it is valuable to have a positive outlook.  But what is this cheerful disposition based upon?  A good mood can pass as quickly as it came, but an inner joy and contentment that remains, despite expectations being unfulfilled is available to all.

Should we still hope when hope is fragile and there are no guarantees?  Yes!  But hope does not mean we are to idolize what it is we are wanting.  Hope involves trusting our LORD, Who sovereignly allows and disallows expectations to unfold.

David knew where his Hope was complete – in God’s presence.  It was there that His longing were satisfied.  Jesus is better than life itself.  We can waste so much energy trying to squeeze out of life the perfect formula for happiness when it is simply worshiping at His feet.   Whatever we are hoping for, if we are willing to lay it at His feet and surrender our will, we begin to see that His hopes for us far surpass our own.

When our hope is set on the temporary, then the results of that hope will be temporary.  But when our hope is set on the One eternal God, this hope is eternal.

Lord, our hope is in You.  May we not make our happiness contingent upon getting what we want.  Our joy is found in You alone.