Dear Precious Friends,
On this TGIFF I pray you are embracing this new day and walking into it with the assurance that God hears every single prayer and we can have joyful expectation of His answers being what is best for our lives.
My friends... what is JOYFUL EXPECTATION TO YOU? Often in my life I have found myself waiting. When I rush ahead of what God is trying to do I ruin the surprise of what He had in mind. Moreover, my plans are never as great as His. If I am being wise waiting for Him is not an option, it is compulsory. How I wait, however, is my choice.
I can wait with joyful expectation. I can rest in the knowledge that doors are opening and closing as His plan unfolds. Perhaps hearts are softening, even my own. Conversely, I can wait with anxiety and dread but there would be no purpose in that. It would only cause me to be in a place I do not need to be. CAN YOU RELATE????? We must feed our spirit God's word... if we don't our flesh will listen to the enemy or ways of the world and which one will win???? The one we feed!!!
David is a wonderful example of a man of prayer, who trusted the Word of God. His prayer life was regular, systematic, orderly and faithful - and he prayed with expectation that God would answer his prayers. Morning by morning he directed his thoughts to the Lord, and lifted up his voice in prayer and praise.. to the God of his salvation. Day by day he discovered that God's mercies were fresh and new every morning, for he knew that the Word of the Lord endures for ever and ever - great is His faithfulness.
Moment by moment he reflected on the Word of truth - contemplating the glories of God, praising the Lord for His many precious promises and trusting God to deliver him from his enemies.. and from those that would seek to destroy him.
Evening by evening David's delight was in the law of the Lord, and he joyfully and trustingly meditated on its truth, day and night - for David knew that God's Word was a lamp to guide his feet aright - and a light to brighten the pathway ahead.
David was a man after God's own heart. From the moment he woke from his sleep, his thoughts turned immediately to the Lord.. DID WE CATCH THIS??????? FROM THE MOMENT HE AWOKE... HIS THOUGHTS TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO THE LORD.....
WE HAVE TO TAKE OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE TO HIM....
for David knew that God would hear his voice and answer his cries for help. He knew that God would hear his pleadings and petitions and eagerly watched and waited for the answers to his prayer to be realized - and then David rejoiced in God's never-failing faithfulness.
God's ways are NOT OUR WAYS... HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO........ I understand this now more than ever. After 2018 being a year of unbelievable loss and deep, deep grief that I'm still struggling with and facing Rick's diagnosis of cancer and all the ways we have had to completely surrender and trust the Lord, wait on Him and navigate through these challenging times... I have also seen incredible blessing. The greatest blessing is knowing God is with us and yes we wait with JOYFUL EXPECTATION of all that He has done and will do and to HIM be the glory....
Too often we have a perception of how God will answer our prayers and when our petitions should be answered.. but God's ways are not always our ways.. and His timings do not always coincide with our eager expectations - but His way and His timings are always the best for each life, for He knows the way we should take. Let us reflect the prayer-life of David, who was an example of a man who prayed regularly, systematically, faithful and expectantly, and who cried: In the morning, O LORD, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercies which are new every morning. Help us immediately remember you are our first thought....Help us to be faithful in our prayer life and may we come into Your presence with joyful expectation, knowing that You are a God Who hears and answers prayers - in Your own way and in Your own time - this I ask in Jesus name, AMEN.
