The Attitude of Expectation
"Then Joshua told the people, 'Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.'"
-Joshua 3:5
This week in my quiet time I came across this verse, it jumped off the page and grabbed my heart. Originally it was my plan to read about the taking of Jericho, and while I went on to read it, this verse stuck in my heart. I've not been able to get it off my mind, even more so today because I know tomorrow is Sunday. However, I do not want to view and apply this verse just on Saturday night's because church is tomorrow. I don't know about you, but for me, I want to see the Lord do great wonders among me not just Sunday, but everyday.
There is so much to unpack in this verse, so lets just start first the first word. "Purify." In theological terms this would be the action of being sanctified; the process of being made holy. Repentance helps us live in that purifying. It is the blood of Jesus that makes us clean, His blood has covered our sin, and continues too. However, we still sin, and can still slip into ungodly living. In the Christian's life there is a Desecration or a Consecration, and we must constantly ask ourselves, which one am I giving myself too? There is an old hymn written in the late 1800's called, "Take my Life and Let it Be." The first verse of the hymn says this:
So when we aren't pursuing the things of God, we miss out on what He is doing, He is constantly working all around us and we don't have a clue. We don't expect Him. This verse is talking about us needing to have an attitude of expectation so we won't miss out on what God really wants us to see and be apart of. While we don't know fully today what He has in store for tomorrow, we wait obediently. The best security for tomorrows wonders is today's sanctifying. Sometimes we do know what tomorrow holds, and we don't know how we are going to deal with it, and question God. Mystery nourishes faith! The priests weren't sure how they were going to cross the Jordan with the Ark. It wasn't until the ark was on their shoulders that the river started to dry up before them so they pass over. Bearers of the ark need never worry or fear because God, to whom it belongs will take care of it, and of them. God takes care of His own, we need to posses the faith, and have an attitude expecting God to show up and carry us over. Most importantly be constantly before the Father in submission to the sanctifying work He longs to do in us.
I pray you see the great works the Lord has in store to do in and through and around you. Don't miss Jesus.
God Bless you as you seek Him.
-Joshua 3:5
This week in my quiet time I came across this verse, it jumped off the page and grabbed my heart. Originally it was my plan to read about the taking of Jericho, and while I went on to read it, this verse stuck in my heart. I've not been able to get it off my mind, even more so today because I know tomorrow is Sunday. However, I do not want to view and apply this verse just on Saturday night's because church is tomorrow. I don't know about you, but for me, I want to see the Lord do great wonders among me not just Sunday, but everyday.
There is so much to unpack in this verse, so lets just start first the first word. "Purify." In theological terms this would be the action of being sanctified; the process of being made holy. Repentance helps us live in that purifying. It is the blood of Jesus that makes us clean, His blood has covered our sin, and continues too. However, we still sin, and can still slip into ungodly living. In the Christian's life there is a Desecration or a Consecration, and we must constantly ask ourselves, which one am I giving myself too? There is an old hymn written in the late 1800's called, "Take my Life and Let it Be." The first verse of the hymn says this:
Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.When we are consecrated in the Lord we are being sanctified; or becoming more like Christ. We are giving ourselves unto the Lord and allowing Him to purify us and make us holy. This is allowing the Holy Spirit to live through us. It's God calling us into His service, He is giving us glory and beauty. So desecration is the opposite. While we might be saved, we don't allow the Lord to live through us. We don't give ourselves fully to Him. It is the act of doing things that are not holy, and cause us NOT to pursue holiness, and the life God desires us to have.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.
So when we aren't pursuing the things of God, we miss out on what He is doing, He is constantly working all around us and we don't have a clue. We don't expect Him. This verse is talking about us needing to have an attitude of expectation so we won't miss out on what God really wants us to see and be apart of. While we don't know fully today what He has in store for tomorrow, we wait obediently. The best security for tomorrows wonders is today's sanctifying. Sometimes we do know what tomorrow holds, and we don't know how we are going to deal with it, and question God. Mystery nourishes faith! The priests weren't sure how they were going to cross the Jordan with the Ark. It wasn't until the ark was on their shoulders that the river started to dry up before them so they pass over. Bearers of the ark need never worry or fear because God, to whom it belongs will take care of it, and of them. God takes care of His own, we need to posses the faith, and have an attitude expecting God to show up and carry us over. Most importantly be constantly before the Father in submission to the sanctifying work He longs to do in us.
I pray you see the great works the Lord has in store to do in and through and around you. Don't miss Jesus.
God Bless you as you seek Him.
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