Be Expectant
Summer 2019 is quickly coming to a close. đ I donât know about anyone else, but this summer just flew by way too fast for me. Taking my kids to the beach, is something that we usually do during the summer. For some reason, our trip to the beach came late this year.
Our kids mentioned going to the beach a few times over the past few weeks. My answer was always, âWeâll go soon.â Well, âsoonâ had arrived! So, my husband and I, decided that we would finally take the kids to the beach last week.
Instead of telling them that we were going, I wanted it to be a surprise. I love the beach! So, all day I was âquietlyâ excited. đđ€«
When it was almost time to go, I told the kids to get dressed for the âpoolâ. As we were heading to the car, I immediately got nervous. I saw some dark clouds starting to roll in. I usually wouldâve checked the weather that morning, to get the hourly breakdown. Somehow, in my excitement, it totally slipped my mind. The day before, the weather app was showing all clear.
Turns out, there was a storm that was expected to roll in, in about three hours. By this time, we were already packed, dressed, and loading up the car. My weather app had been wrong many times throughout the summer, so I was willing to take the risk. I figured if all else failed, we would at least have a few hours to enjoy the beach.
By this point, I didnât want to cancel the trip. So, I just prayed, âGod, thank you for holding back the rain.â
As we got closer, the sky became darker in some areas, and then lightened up in other areas. Some areas it began to drizzle, while in other areas, the sky looked pretty clear. All the while, my weather app was still saying 0% chance of rain, for at least three more hours.
Again, we decided to just keep going. We finally made it to the beach, and the skies looked pretty decent. As we were walking up towards the sand, we realized that the sand, and the ocean, was completely EMPTY.
Not one person was in the water. Turns out, the lifeguards had cleared the beach, because of a previous storm that had rolled through.
At this point, I was really discouraged. Like câmon God, weâve gotten all the way here. Now, Iâm just steps away from my feet touching this sand, and we canât go any further. After waiting for a couple of minutes, a lifeguard walked up, and stood near us. She said they would be giving the âALL CLEARâ, in 11 minutes. After 11 minutes passed, we were able to walk onto the sand, and enjoy the beach (along with everyone else that was waiting).
It did end up pouring down raining on the way home. Although, we didnât get to stay as long as we wanted to, we still had enough time to enjoy ourselves. We ended up having a lot of fun!
Once I got home that night, I realized thisâŠ
God is constantly teaching me more about Him, through my relationship with my children. That night, I thought about how much I wanted to see my kids happy. I wanted to put a smile on their faces. I wanted to surprise them, with the thing that they had been asking for.
Although, they werenât expecting a surprise trip to the beach that day, I knew that it was coming. It had already been planned in advance. I was excited for what I had in store for them.
God was showing me, thatâs the same way He feels about His children. God loves us! He wants to see us smile, in the same way that we want to make our kids smile.
I believe that day at the beach, God was telling me to BE EXPECTANT!
So often, we get discouraged by what we see (in my case, it was the storm). If we wouldâve stayed home, or turned around, because of some dark clouds, then we wouldâve missed out. Because we kept going, my kids were able to enjoy the thing they had been wanting.
Today, God wants me to tell you this as well, BE EXPECTANT!
I know it seems like youâve been waiting for a long time. I know many unexpected storms have passed your way. Youâve wanted to turn around and quit, but you kept going.
For some of you, it seems like youâre so close to the thing that God has for you, but like our day at the beach, it feels like youâre getting blocked, just steps away from the sand.
âWe can only see so far ahead, but God can see what we canât see. So, while we have our heads hung low, thinking God has forgotten about us, heâs EXCITED about whatâs to come. What may look like a regular day, could be the day that Godâs âsurpriseâ for you just shows up. â
He knows that youâre so close. When we found out the beach was temporarily closed, we couldâve walked away, and went back to our car. Because we waited, we didnât miss out. Because we were standing close to the person that had authority (the lifeguard), we were close enough to hear the âALL CLEARâ.
Stand still, and wait on the Lord.
The thing that may have been closed before, is opening up just in time. Stay close to Him, so that when he gives you the âALL CLEARâ, all you have to do is walk into what He has for you.
Although, our family beach trip came late this year, my kids still got to enjoy the thing they had been asking for. What seems like a delay, will show up right on time. BE EXPECTANT. Believe that great things are coming your way!
Todayâs Prayer:
Father God, Thank you for loving me. Thank you for being a good, good father. I know that you have great things in store for me. I choose to believe in you, and the truth of your word. Help me to be expectant, and give me strength to not give up, or turn back during the wait. Lead, guide, and direct my steps. Help me to hear your voice clearly, so that I may know what to do, and where to go. Thank you for never leaving me, or forsaking me. Let your will be done in my life. In Jesus name.
Todayâs Reading: Hebrews⏠â11:6âŹ; Matthew⏠â7:9-11; Psalms⏠â84:11
Hebrews⏠â11:6⏠â(NKJV): âBut without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.â
âŹâŹMatthew⏠â7:9-11⏠â(NLTâŹâŹ): âYou parentsâif your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.â
Psalms⏠â84:11⏠â(NLTâŹâŹ): âFor the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.â
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