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If I Believe It, I Should Expect It

Last night I called my children up from the basement to supper. Jerica, our precocious 4-year old, said, 'I don't want anything yucky.' Ahhh, expectations.

You should know that she would define 'yucky' as anything not on her pre-approved list of meals. That list would include peanut butter, grilled cheese and McDonald's chicken nuggets. So yes, by comparison, supper was 'yucky'. But she ate it.

Expectations are funny things. An experience can be shared by many people, but interpreted differently depending on what each person expected. If you show up to a U2 concert only to find out that Bono is sick and The Wiggles are filling in, you will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, if your wife dragged you to a Wiggles concert and U2 came out instead, your experience would rise above your expectation for the day.

I think something similar is happening in Genesis in the story of Abram and Sarai. Abram has received some pretty big promises from God. You're going to be a great nation. Your name will be huge. Everyone on earth will be blessed through you. That's a tall order.

There is just one problem. Abram believed God. And so he struggled. You can read all about it from Genesis 12 through 22. We can see an up and down relationship between God and Abram, all of it on Abram's side. There were lies and doubts, as Abram tried to make sure the promise was fulfilled.

Abram struggled with what God said to him because he actually believed that God was guaranteeing what He promised. You may read that last sentence and think to yourself that it doesn't make sense. Shouldn't Abram have believed God would do what He said He would do? Well, yeah. But I don't think we actually believe it.If we do, we probably struggle to live it.

Abram struggled against his expectations. Because God promised such great stuff, Abram expected to experience it. Maybe the reason we don't struggle with God more is that we really don't have high expectations for Him. Or any expectations at all.

Where is the longing in our hearts? What happened to the little child in us that believed that anything was possible? Have we listened for the promises that God has for us? They are all over the Bible.

If we believe the Bible to be true, why doesn't it show in our lives? Shouldn't we all be a bit more eager to see God's promises fulfilled in our lives? Shouldn't we be talking to God and asking Him questions? Abram was asking details. I believe that true expectancy should be coupled with anticipation.

If I believe it, I should expect it. So should you. Do you?
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