I’ve been cleaning up the raised beds and pots of sad leaves and debris. Rains have come and flowers have said good by for the season. Expectations of withered leaves and bare branches have taken over. It’s always with some sad thoughts I tuck away the beds for winter. But one dreary day my attention was drawn to something purple in the side flowerbed. Low and behold the old fashioned bluebells were blooming once again! They had died off and now had grown back! Now that was the unexpected expectation! I had expected everything to be totally done and dead, but here they were growing lovely as ever! That made me walk around the yard to see what other treasures I could find. A lone nicotiana blossom stood to cheer me as well as a few tiny roses that were giving it their all. The unexpected blossoms were a delight, especially considering that my bleak winter expectations had taken reign in my mind. Bleak expectations can really darken and hamper our minds.
Are you giving space to bleak expectations in your life? The times are sobering, serious, and scary. Between a pandemic, politics, and worldwide catastrophes, we are living in trying days. During these last few months the Lord has been nudging me to quit reading so much news and instead to focus on Him. To expect not the expected but the unexpected. Looking for God’s work in others, looking for His presence, looking at His promises, and looking for His blessings in the darkness have been changing my outlook. God is asking me to expect His goodness that is bringing everything together for the return of Jesus Christ. Psalm 62 is a great challenge to meditate on. “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.” Along the way, God is shining His light in this world, and He wants us to raise praises to His name! When His promises and glory are reigning in my mind and heart, the whole world, as well as people, will look different. We are to be set apart, redeemed, and heavenly minded people. Letting God be God, I am open to see the unexpected because our God has a habit of doing the unexpected. Let’s not live with dark negative thoughts that hamper us from singing the praises of our Lord Jesus Christ!
K.C.,
Jj '
