“Be strong and let your heart take
courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!” -Psalm 31:24
As
Christians we are taught that Jesus is coming back to gather us and take us
away from this earth (1 Thess. 4:17; Mat. 24:29). So we look forward to that day while we
struggle with the troubles of living in a sinful world. We have hope that one day He will come and
take us away from it all. Well, why not
expect Him sooner?
How
about expecting the Lord while facing economic upheaval? Have you ever experienced the struggle of not
having enough money to make-ends-meet? I
know of a couple who are struggling to do so.
Last month they took 10% of all the income they had and gave it to the
Lord through their church. That meant
they would not have enough to pay all their rent, but in faith they gave, in
faith expecting the Lord to help. God came through with an extra job for him
which gave him enough to pay the rest of his rent and some extra for gas.
Consider
expecting the Lord in the salvation of a loved one. A close friend of mine has a son in his late
20’s who has been a ‘speed’ addict for a number of years, already in and out of
prison, jail, and recovery programs a number of times. He knew his mom was a devout Christian but he
did not want to have anything to do with God.
She and I prayed often for his salvation and expected the Lord to intervene.
A few months ago he was arrested on breaking his probation and had the
choice to go back to prison or one more chance in an in-house recovery
program. While in this recovery program
he accepted the Lord as his savior and has remained clean ever since. Now he is calling his mom and encouraging her
with what he reads and discovers in the Bible.
The
first car I owned I purchased in 1976; I have driven myself in the various cars
I owned wherever I had to go from that date until 2003 when the car I had at
that time had its front end and standard transmission go out at the same
time. It was a 12 year old car and would
cost more to repair than it was worth. I
did not have a car for six years and had to take the bus or gain rides from
friends and relatives all the time. I
could not afford to purchase a new or used car so I expected the Lord, telling Him in prayer that if He gave me a car
then I would in turn use it for Him by giving rides to others in need just as
people had given me rides. In 2009 a couple I
know, in obedience and prompted by the Lord, gave me their car when they got a
new one. Now I am able to give others
rides and have great times of fellowship and witnessing in that car.
Now
that I have ‘started the ball rolling’ so-to-speak, it is YOUR turn. What stories can you remember where someone expected the Lord and saw Him come
through? I would love to hear them so please
send them along to me at kingsmonarch@gmail with “Expect the Lord!” in the
subject line.
What
needs do you have in your life right now?
How about in your friends and relatives lives? Are you ready to start expecting the Lord today?
(Psalm
27:14; 31:24; 40:1; 130:5; Prov. 20:22; Isaiah 40:31; Lam. 3:24; Micah 7:7)
“So be patient, brethren, [as you
wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the
precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over
it until it receives the early and late rains.” –James 5:7 AMP
