Adventurously Expectant

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration yesterday!  We spent the afternoon at our oldest daughter and her husband’s home in Morrisville, about forty minutes away from our residence.  It was fun to watch the two of them working together in the kitchen as they finished the meal preparations.  It was almost as much fun just being able to sit and do nothing but watch… oh yea… and keep their two Rat Terriers company!  The meal was terrific, the fellowship sweet and the warm feeling that filled our hearts is still pulsating through our beings today!

It is always special to gather with family on the holidays.  And even though our kids are spread out among two different coasts and three different states, we were still able to spend time with them through the technological marvels of Face-Time with our Oklahoma kids and Blue Tooth connectivity in our vehicles as we chatted with our older son while we were both in our vehicles traveling on opposite ends of the country the afternoon of the previous day!

So… I’m a happy camper this morning!  Sure our holiday celebrations are different than they used to be, but you know, sometimes it is just good to go with the flow and enjoy the new traditions that arise from the changing circumstances of life that are being written within the pages of the stories of our personal histories!

I got stirred up this morning as I read about another important area of Piper’s and my lives when I read about our exciting position in our spiritual family.  I got excited when I realized that Papa God’s plans for us are always evolving, are always fresh and new and that He desires that we never allow the circumstances of life to slow us down in our service unto the throne of heaven.

Paul’s in his conversation recorded in Romans 8:14-15 acts as a motivational speaker to my wife and I.  Here he encourages us declaring: “God’s Spirit beckons.  There are things to do and places to go!  This resurrection life we received from God is not a timid, grave tending life.  It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?’” (The Message Bible)

Is that the question that you ask first thing each and every morning?  Did you declare that powerful statement today as you swung your legs out of bed?  I can’t say that I uttered those exact words this morning, but I did arise with fresh expectations in my heart and was excited to see what Papa God had planned for us today!  I am not sure if this was a result of the good time we both had yesterday and that Piper had eaten three good meals and slept peacefully through the night, or if was just the joy of the Lord bubbling up from my heart.  

Never-the-less, it was a good feeling and my heart jumped a beat or two as I sat down at the breakfast table with a fresh, steaming hot cup of perfectly brewed Starbucks Sumatra coffee and read these verses to Piper and I.  I think that the holidays are the perfect time to reflect on just how personal and intimate our relationships are with Papa God.  To consider just how “adventurously expectant” our Christian faith is.

Just reading Paul’s descriptive words about having an adventurous expectancy in our daily walk with Christ energizes my enthusiasm and reignites the passion I had when I first came into a personal relationship with Him back in the early seventies!  I can remember during some of those special days, going back home to my parent’s place after spending an evening with my favorite girl and just basking in the presence of the Lord that seemed to fill my bedroom as I reflected on Him.  (I’m sure that the aurora of Piper and the fragrance of her perfume that lingered on my clothes didn’t hurt either!)

So yea… I’m excited about what He has planned for us as we enter the Christmas season and the New Year ahead.  From my understanding of His Word, I know it to only be good reports that come from the Good News of His Word.  I am looking forward to increasing in my adventurous expectations of His love, of His grace, of His power, and of His abilities working through me unto others!  How about you?

Have a great holiday weekend and may the Lord richly bless each of you as you prepare your homes, your hearts and your daily outreach for the upcoming celebration of the coming of the newborn King of Kings!  And as you do… Keep asking yourselves… “How ADVENTUROUSLY EXPECTANT am I in my daily Christian walk?”