Expectations

(Author’s Note: Spring Break begins tomorrow, so I will be taking next week off from writing to lead a group of students on a mission trip to Oklahoma.  Look for a new WftW on March 18th.  Jim)

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)

I must admit my expectations were low.  I mailed my computer in for service on Tuesday and expected to get it back late next week while I was gone on Spring Break.  The case around the battery charger port was cracked and the port had stopped working.  My hope was they would fix the case and replace the port.  The computer was returned to me yesterday (Thursday), two days after I mailed it.  Not only were the case repaired and the port replaced, but I also had a new keyboard and trackpad!  The company had decided they were not working properly and replaced them—for free!  To say this company exceeded my expectations is an understatement.

Often, I think we have low expectations of people and entities that have a certain amount of control over our lives.   We just don’t expect a whole lot from people in authority or power.  We assume they will not do more than they are required and they won’t do that necessarily very well.  And I think this often flows over into our thinking about God.  We don’t expect much.  Likely, because we don’t consider ourselves worthy.  We think He’s too big to bother with “little ol’ me.”  So we come to expect merely the crumbs falling from His table.

Yet, Paul gives us a promise onto which we should grab and not let go: “He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.  In other words, we should expect a lot more of God!  Not only will He save you from eternity in Hell, He will transform your life here on Earth (II Corinthians 5:17).  He will help you overcome your troubles, not merely endure them (John 16:33).  In the most difficult situations, He will give you a peace that will be beyond your understanding (Philippians 4:7).  No matter what you experience in life, He will bring good out of it (Romans 8:28).  And He will give you a life that is full rather than boring or mundane (John 10:10). 

Today, though your expectations of what God can do in your life may be low, know He has made a promise to do much more than you can even ask or imagine.  Perhaps you should take Him up on it.

© Jim Musser 2013