Expectations
It's somewhat amazing to me that so many of us Christians try to put God in a box, or put God on the spot and "demand" a miracle or expect and assume God must work within our understanding or the way we want him to in order to somehow "prove" himself. We want life on our terms. "Heal me this way. Work out my marriage this way. Do this and that for me, God." We probably wouldn't say, "God, prove yourself," but when we tell God how we want (or expect) him to act, that's in effect what we're doing.
And, all the time, God has already provided miracles all around us.
In the first century, there was great expectation about the coming of the Messiah, and so many people thought they had it figured out. They had studied the Scriptures, they had listened to their rabbis, and they knew how the Savior was going to come—and, better yet, they knew what he was going to do. When you read the Gospels, you can't help but notice how confused the disciples are...because Jesus wasn't doing what they thought he ought to do. Nor was he doing what he was doing in they way they thought he should do it. Confused yet? So were they!
Jesus is out there in Galilee, performing miracles, teaching about the Kingdom, walking on water, and the disciples are wondering when he's going to get around to doing things the way they thought he ought to. Miracles all around—and they are demanding or at least expecting their own way.
The religious leaders decided Jesus couldn't be the Messiah—not because he didn't agree with their theology. Jesus and the Pharisees had much in common as far as their beliefs go. But Jesus didn't do what a Messiah was supposed to do. Never mind the miracles all around them. Never mind that they had the very Son of God walking among them. He wasn't doing things according to the plan. Their plan.
Not God's plan.
Their plan.
My plan.
As I shared in my sermon last Sunday, I had a heart defect from birth that was only discovered when I was 18. And I spent a lot of time telling God how to fix it. I wanted life on my terms. I wanted God to do it my way. And all the while I failed to recognize that his sustaining grace had brought me that far already....that's a miracle! I demanded my way, but God healed me on his terms, using a surgeon who had skills given to him by God and good training. Another time, I had a challenging medical condition where God chose to heal it instantly, as I slept. Neither time is more a miracle than the other. The question for me constantly is whether or not I will allow God to work in my life the way he wants or demand him to work the way I want.
And that attitude makes all the difference in the world as to whether we grow closer to him or stay right where we are.
Are you willing to allow God to work in your life the way he wants to? Today? Even if it's not what you want or expect?
And, all the time, God has already provided miracles all around us.
In the first century, there was great expectation about the coming of the Messiah, and so many people thought they had it figured out. They had studied the Scriptures, they had listened to their rabbis, and they knew how the Savior was going to come—and, better yet, they knew what he was going to do. When you read the Gospels, you can't help but notice how confused the disciples are...because Jesus wasn't doing what they thought he ought to do. Nor was he doing what he was doing in they way they thought he should do it. Confused yet? So were they!
Jesus is out there in Galilee, performing miracles, teaching about the Kingdom, walking on water, and the disciples are wondering when he's going to get around to doing things the way they thought he ought to. Miracles all around—and they are demanding or at least expecting their own way.
The religious leaders decided Jesus couldn't be the Messiah—not because he didn't agree with their theology. Jesus and the Pharisees had much in common as far as their beliefs go. But Jesus didn't do what a Messiah was supposed to do. Never mind the miracles all around them. Never mind that they had the very Son of God walking among them. He wasn't doing things according to the plan. Their plan.
Not God's plan.
Their plan.
My plan.
As I shared in my sermon last Sunday, I had a heart defect from birth that was only discovered when I was 18. And I spent a lot of time telling God how to fix it. I wanted life on my terms. I wanted God to do it my way. And all the while I failed to recognize that his sustaining grace had brought me that far already....that's a miracle! I demanded my way, but God healed me on his terms, using a surgeon who had skills given to him by God and good training. Another time, I had a challenging medical condition where God chose to heal it instantly, as I slept. Neither time is more a miracle than the other. The question for me constantly is whether or not I will allow God to work in my life the way he wants or demand him to work the way I want.
And that attitude makes all the difference in the world as to whether we grow closer to him or stay right where we are.
Are you willing to allow God to work in your life the way he wants to? Today? Even if it's not what you want or expect?
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