Open Hands, Expectant Hearts
They say that a picture’s worth a thousand words. Our picture was black and white and very blurry. We knew we were “expecting”, but what we were “expecting” wasn’t clear yet. Until that picture. And then, with two 5mm dots appearing in our ultrasound photo, it was unmistakable - God decided that we were expecting twins. That was NOT what we were expecting!
As Christ-followers we are to be an expectant people, but what does that look like? What are we living expectantly for? What we desire? What God desires? Isn’t it hard to tell the difference sometimes?
I love how David expresses himself in Psalm 5:3…
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and WAIT IN EXPECTATION.”
When King David wrote those words, life was anything but smooth (apparently even monarchy has its challenges!) Read Psalm 5 and you will find David crying out for help. He was in distress. We don’t know the specifics, but we know he was dealing with arrogant, deceitful people and that life seemed to be falling apart around him. And maybe you and I can’t relate to the whole King part, but we can definitely relate to those days when life does NOT make sense, and the circumstances we’re navigating are nothing we would ever ask for.
But David had a daily practice - a daily rhythm of life - that helped keep his heart centered, no matter what was going on around him. Morning after morning David came to God and laid his requests at God’s feet. That part doesn’t seem too hard. Morning prayer… check! But then he goes about the rest of his day “waiting in expectation”. What was he waiting expectantly for?
David was waiting to see God show up
and do his God stuff
in ways that only God can do!
As I continue to grow in my own faith journey, I want to learn to live with
“Open Hands and an Expectant Heart”
Open Hands that say, “God this is what I desire, but if what I desire is not what you desire, I choose what you desire.” Open hands signify release, surrender, trust. I don’t want to miss God’s greatest blessings and Kingdom plan because I’m lost in the fog of all I can’t see.
An Expectant Heart that says, “God, I am attentive and waiting.” I will lay my requests before you and then spend the rest of my day keenly watching for the ways that YOU choose to reveal yourself to me and around me.
Like those two little dots that showed up on my picture that day, much of life is not what we’re expecting. But I don’t want to miss anything God is doing because I’ve already decided what I think it all should look like. I want to trust Him. I want to be expectant for His best. And I want to be transformed more and more into the image of His Son.
Our ‘best life’ is living before God with open hands and expectant hearts!