An-ti-ci-pation… An-ti-ci-pa-aa-tion is making me wait. Is keeping me wai-aa-aa-aa-aa-ting.
Do you remember that old song by Carly Simon? If not, maybe you at least remember the commercial where it was used. It was an ad for ketchup. While the song was playing “anticipation” you saw a bottle of ketchup upside down and it was so thick and rich that it was taking forever to come out of the bottle.
Well, I’ve been singing that song in my head for the last couple of days. Because I’ve been giddy with anticipation about a vacation my husband and I are going on. With all that’s happened in the last couple of years, having to postpone several planned trips and vacations, I’m sure you can understand that we’ve been eagerly anticipating the trip!
If you’re like me, when something wonderful is about to happen you immerse yourself in joyful anticipation for a while leading up to the trip/holiday/_____ (fill in the blank).
Maybe it’s not a trip, but the arrival of a new little human onto the scene. You know what’s coming and you feel ready, but you’re patiently waiting for God’s perfect timing.
You prepare well in advance.
You rehearse in your mind what it will be like.
You think about it a lot.
You tell those you’re close to how excited you are.
Maybe you’re a little anxious also, but in a good way.
You have what I call a forward-thinking attitude. You don’t worry too much about what’s going on at the moment because you have this great thing coming up for you in the future.
This is how I believe we should be when we pray. Waiting patiently and expectantly, eagerly anticipating God’s goodness and faithfulness to come through in His answers.
For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. Galatians 5:5 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. James 5:7 NLT
God hears us when we pray.
As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me. Micah 7:7 NLT
I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalms 17:6 NLT
God acts on our behalf.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4 NIV
God delights in giving good things to His children.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him. Matthew 7:11 NIV
While we are waiting for God’s answers, we persevere and continue to do whatever God has put before us.
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
Hebrews 10:36 NLT
How can we be certain? Because we believe in the name of Jesus and we are asking according to His will.
So whenever you make a request to God, train your mind to eagerly anticipate the answer to your request. And just imagine how wonderful it will be when it happens!
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:13-15
