"What Do You Expect?"

"None is so needy as man, none is so able and anxious to supply every need and any need as God."--E.M. Bounds

Last night, after working a 12 hour day, my husband, Greg, came home, ate dinner, and then took our son, Joshua, fishing in the lake behind our house. WHEW! Now that's commitment. I love watching my husband interact with our children. He truly would do anything in order to keep them safe. He would willingly lay down his life for them and sacrifice his own comfort in exchange for their provision. He is the epitome of a good daddy...gentle and loving...yet firm and correcting.

As I watch him interact with our children, I'm reminded of the simple truth that God is our Father.

Think about it. Imagine your ideal Father--one who always has time for you--one who would do anything for you--one who teaches you wisdom to spare you from greater pain--one who laughs with you--protects--provides--and enjoys your company--one who never tires hearing your dreams or listening to your thoughts--one who embraces you when you're hurting--lifts you up when you are weak--and then...take that ideal image and multiply it by a billion times and you just might begin to scratch the surface of how awesome God is.

WOW...God is our Father!!!

1 John 3:1 says, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God ! And that is what we are!" (NIV)

We have been grafted into the FAMILY OF GOD! We are HIS! CHOSEN! LOVED! His resources are now ours. We bear His Name. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase..."OH YA, My Daddy's bigger than Your daddy." Every enemy, the most vile demons, even satan himself is subject to the name of Jesus and God has given us the right to bear HIS NAME!

Lately, I've had to examine what I expect. Sometimes after being knocked down again and again it's hard to get back up; it's hard to dream; it's hard to expect good. But I'm beginning to remember this truth...though Satan attempts to defeat us...drag us down...to steal our hope...kill our dreams...and destroy our life...GOD SENT JESUS that we might have life and have it to the full! Today, I sense The Holy Spirit gently challenging us to examine our thinking, asking us,

"What are you expecting?"

Hebrew 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (NIV)

So what are we expecting? Are we expecting God to hear and answer?

E.M. Bounds writes, "Prayer is the outstretched arms of the child for the Father's help. Prayer is the child's cry calling to the Father's ear, the Father's heart, and the Father's ability. Prayer is the cry that the Father is to hear, the Father is to feel and the Father is to relieve...When His children cry for bread, He gives them bread." (Thy Will Be Done, 22-23)

PRAYER:  Lord as we read Matthew 7:11-12, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (NIV) We submit to You every defeated thought and every hopeless expectation. Fill us with HOPE again. Provide for us! Thank You that You hear us and that YOU WILL ANSWER! May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, unhindered and full of life! In Jesus name we pray, amen!