Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is … Expectation.
Expectation – a great prompt at the start of Advent. It’s the act of looking forward to the probability of something occurring. Or at least, that is how I would define it.
I’ve been in Luke 1 all this week. None of the occurrences in the chapter could have been what anyone was expecting. None would have thought there was any probability for what would occur in their lives.
Zacharias could not have expected an angel to speak to him. He certainly could not have thought it would be probable to be mute for nine months.
Zacharias and Elizabeth certainly had a most unexpected pregnancy, being old in age.
Mary could not have been expecting her visit from an angel either. It was beyond her expectation to be pregnant when having never been with a man. She surely could not have expected to give birth to Jesus, the long awaited Messiah.
At the birth of their son John, Zacharias and Elizabeth knew exactly what to expect. They named him John and announced his purpose to the people present, and to all who would follow:
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;To give to His people the knowledge of salvation, By the forgiveness of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79,NASB)
In this season of waiting and preparing, may we still our hearts and minds, and bodies.
May we incline our ears to hear.
And may we listen with expectation.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
We too live in expectation – awaiting the promised return of our Lord & King.
Amen. Each and every day!
So often I caution people against unrealistic expectations in relationships. They are a ticket to disappointment. Amazingly, God will NEVER disappoint!
Amen!
I join with you to “listen with expectation” for Him.
When an angel talks to you,
you will likely find
that what ancients said is true:
it will blow your mind.
A shining figure, all in white
(I guess that’s on their colour wheel?),
appearing in a flash of light
that seems a dream, but it is real.
And, of course, of course, that voice!
which speaks in God’s authority,
leaving you with no real choice
but to do with certainty
to do that which you have been told
before another hour’s old.
Indeed, every word will be true and come to pass. Blessings, friend!
Sometimes when we wait, expectantly for something special, we are disappointed with what we receive. But when our Father sent Jesus, what we have been given is so beyond our comprehension that we are still awestruck. We were gifted with light, love, hope, joy, and salvation. What a miracle for our Father to love us so much.
So true, Katherine. We are awestruck time and time again. He has never disappointed as His gifts have always been for my good.
It’s hard to do though you know? To listen with expectation in the day-to-day of living. Good to be reminded though yes?
Annette, I so need to be reminded. It’s probably why I make certain to especially read an Advent devotional or study – they intentionally quiet me down, causing me to linger and ponder. Blessings!
Feeling grateful that God never disappoints.
Thanks for sharing.
The beauty of our faith is that God lives up to and beyond our greatest expectation!