I Am Convinced!

Some of my favorite memories as an adult were made when Piper and I would take the kids up to the Redwoods or the Sierras for a summer camping adventure and when Piper and I would take one of our two-night holidays at a lodge along the Sonoma County coast in northern California.  And I think what made them even more extra special was all the anticipation and expectations that would always build up in me in the days or even weeks before we actually got in the car and pulled out of the driveway!  Do any of you know what I’m talking about?

By the time we actually arrived at our destination, all that anticipation and expectation working in me, CONVINCED me that we were going to have a GREAT time… and you know?  I don’t think that I was ever disappointed!  We learned from any potentially negative parts of the vacation every time we would go, so that we eventually packed and/or were prepared for any type of unexpected event… rain for instance… that would arise.  I also think that our background in Youth and Children’s ministry prepared us to be flexible and easily adaptive to any hiccup that might arise!

Like I said earlier, whenever we would sit down to plan one of these special times… I was fully CONVINCED that we would thoroughly enjoy ourselves!  But it didn’t just happen… for we would plan activities and special times to enhance our experience wherever we where going.  When Piper and I would book a two-night holiday, I would always surprise her with a new nightgown and we would purchase special food treats, bring some good books and rent a movie or two that we both enjoyed... and then plan on taking many romantic walks, hand in hand along the bluffs overlooking the breath taking views of the Pacific ocean.

Similarly, like my parents always did on our family camping trips, Piper would plan for special meals and treats that we could cook over the open fire, bring some fun books to read with the children and surprise the kids with some new toys to enjoy at camp.  In the meantime, I planned for family hikes in the mountains and other excursions to places that were unique to the area we were going to.  In later years, I also wrote some Bible related, all family, VBS type activities that we could all participate in during our week at camp.

The way that we planned for and enjoyed Piper’s and my personal holidays alone and the family camping trips with the kids, were very similar to the way in which we planned and enjoyed the personal experiences of our faith life as well.  The Apostle Paul wrote that,

“I am CONVINCED that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ!”  (Philippians 4:19 – The Passion Translation)

I don’t know if you see what I do in that particular verse of scripture, but when I read this translation, I can’t help but get very excited because I see a man that fully EXPECTED God’s Word to work in his behalf when he went to the Lord with a need!  And when you study the rest of Paul’s letters to the early church, you quickly understand that Paul was a man that put the work in that would assure Him of the truth of God’s Word being a solid reality in his life.

When Paul stepped out the door first thing in the morning on the way to a ministry event, to go visit a friend or to travel to a new region of the country… he was CONVINCED that God would fully satisfy ANY need that arose… and you know why?  Because he had seen it all before and carried the evidence of the faithfulness of God in his heart wherever he went.

Like Piper and I on our vacation events, we were CONVINCED ahead of time that we were going to have an enjoyable time and be blessed along the way as well!  We always put in the time to prepare for whatever we were doing both physically and spiritually and were never disappointed.

Earlier in that same letter to the Philippian church, Paul declared that,

“I have mastered the secret of living… I am equal to every lot, through the help of Him who gives me inward strength.” (Philippians 4:12 – S. Way)

Paul always gave all the glory and/or credit to Christ for the success of all that he endeavored to accomplish in his life.  But in order to do that and be fully CONVINCED that God would meet his every need, he made the consistent effort to spend time with the Lord in prayer, recalling and meditating on the revelations that the Lord had directly given to him, and in reading the Old Testament promises (since he and the other apostles were then writing what would become known to us as the New Testament).

One of Piper’s favorite Old Testament promises that I’m pretty certain that the Apostle Paul also favored and took to heart, is found in Jeremiah 29:11 where the prophet wrote of the Lord saying,

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an EXPECTED end.” (KJV) 

The Message Bible makes it a little easier to understand and put into practice in our lives by declaring,

“I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you that you hope for (or that you are EXPECTING*).” 

So, let me ask you today… on this absolutely warm and beautiful - albeit windy – day in northeastern Oklahoma, are you CONVINCED that God will fully satisfy and/or meet all your needs today?  Why or Why not?

Think about it and ask yourself… “What am I really EXPECTING today?”  How satisfied will you be when your head hits the pillow tonight?

Have a great day enjoying the promises of God actively participating in your life today! 

Put in the time and your life will be sublime!

 

*Both Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Definitions and Brown-Drivers – Briggs Hebrew Definitions define the word “hope” as “EXPECTATION”