The Gift of Anticipation
by Chaplain Jim Robinson
My life has been a "quiltwork" of a wide variety of places and events, much of which I never suspected I'd later be doing. Many think, "I'd never do that," but God changes us and we find ourselves doing just that. It's important to be willing to do what we have to do. God uses even fear to draw people to Himself. We look for help outside ourselves when we are helpless, in pain, or in terror. This became true for me in a foxhole in Vietnam. As I drew near to God, He drew near to me and my fear was gone.
In John 1:46,49 Nathanael went through a change in his attitude about Jesus. He went from, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" to "Thou art the Son of God; Thou art the King of Israel!" Jesus said, "You believe I told you I saw you under the fig tree." Then Jesus gave Nathanael the gift of anticipaion when He added, "You will see greater things than that." When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He had said of him, "Here is a true man of Israel; there is no deceit in him."
Nathanael had yet to experience New Birth but Jesus recognized who Nathanael would become. He gave him the gift of anticipating God's wonderful workings, both in him, and through him.
God calls us to live lives that are beyond ourselves; impossible lives.
"Walk before Me and be thou perfect." Genesis 17:1
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48
"Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." II Corinthians 13:11
"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His Eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a little while, make ye perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." I Peter 5:10
". . . in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." II Corinthians 12:10
". . . all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." II Timothy 3:12
Did you get that? "After ye have suffered a while. . ." Philippians 3 says, "All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of His resurrection; to share in His suffering, and become like Him in His death, in the hope that I, myself, will be raised from death to life."
Is the reason we don't suffer persecution the fact we do not live godly in Christ Jesus? God save us from being ordinary people sliding through life! In spite of the promise that our walk with God will bring persecution, perhaps physical suffering and the loss of material possessions,
LIVE IN THE FAITH!
FOLLOW THE LORD!
DIE LIVING THE LIFE!
Don't change course away from God in old age, or when the going gets tough. Thank God for his gift of anticipation. Keep on expecting more wonderful works from our wonderful Lord!