Wednesday, May 16, 2007

hoping expectantly

Waiting - ah, behold what a great word all of us like to hear (and even better when we get to practice it!). But, here in the Ps 119 for today - the psalmist seems to be giving us some insight into what he is feeling and how he is calling on the Lord to act.
But, go back first to what we learned yesterday. God acts according to His character - not mine. God does what He deems right and when He knows it is going to be done - not according to my whims and attitudes and longings. Isn't that better anyway?
So...
Ps 119.49
"Remember your Word to your servant, in which you have made me hope."
Here - he is pleading with the Lord (sounds a bit desparate when you read the end of the sentence) - to be true to His Word and be faithful as He has promised He will be. He knows God to be this way - but He is praying for continuance. How many times have you prayed and prayed for something and it still hasn't come - but do you give up - hopefully not? God is still working - even if we can't see what He is doing. I am preaching to myself here as well so don't worry!
Again, just like in 119.17 - we see the humility of the psalmist. Even though he is talking, praying, pleading even with the God of the universe - he remembers his place. We must never presume to know more than God or think we have become God. Sometimes our lives reflect that very attitude. But, the psalmist here remembers his place - as the created one not the Creator (remember Job's conversation with God?)
When I think of the word Hope I usually think of a positive thing - but not so in this case (or at least that is what I think it means after looking it up). This hope has a sense of waiting or tarrying. Who knows what the psalmist is going through or how long he has been waiting for a certain action or thing from God...but he says that God has made him wait, but wait expectantly. There is a verse I love - in the morning, offer up worship - and wait expectantly. Again, I think it is a psalm. Do your mornings reflect that? Do you wake up each morning praying that your day would be one of worship to God and plead with him that you live it expectantly - not complacently. He is going to act - are you going to miss it?

Anyway - those are the thoughts for today

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