Archives for February 2021

There is something nice about looking forward to an event or meeting. Sometimes anticipation is half the fun. Looking forward to things tends to brighten our life.

An elderly lady once told me with delight that her grandchildren would be visiting her in several weeks. Expectation of that visit was a source of joy to her. Another elderly lady invited me for morning tea and set the date two weeks in advance. She explained to me that it gave her something to look forward to.

Children almost get exhausted with anticipation of Christmas or a party or some fun activity. They can exhaust those around them with their constant talk and expectation.

Anticipation is linked to ‘Hope’ and hope is a key spiritual reality, listed alongside Faith and Love.

“Three things have abiding presence: faith, hope and love.” 1Corinthians 13:13

Faith, Hope and Love have the ability to sustain us. They can prop us up when we are flagging. Faith reminds us to trust God. Love comforts our hearts. And Hope fires us with Sweet Anticipation.

Looking forward to something coming is often a daily experience. The Bible speaks of those who look forward to their rest and sleep, and those who can’t sleep looking forward to the dawn. It speaks of watchmen who keenly wait for the new day, to be relieved of duty.

It is not uncommon to hear someone say, “I get to go home in two hours”. Or you might hear, “Only three days to go!” Or “It’s on Tonight!”

People might say, “I have the tickets in my pocket”, “I’m all packed”, “We’re heading in early to beat the crowd” and many similar comments that reflect anticipation and pre-planning for things looked forward to.

For the Christian there is a great deal to feel Sweet Anticipation about. Since we are forgiven of our sins and adopted as God’s children, we are heading from this life into eternal glories that are beyond description. What we know of Heaven is just an inkling of what is in store for us, since our human limitations block any true appreciation for things so transcendent. One of the common descriptions of Heaven from those who died and came back to life, is that things in Heaven are much more delightful than any equivalent thing on earth and so are basically ‘indescribable’.

What we do know is that we will be in the glorious presence of the most majestic being in the universe, God Almighty, our Father. We will be enriched at a much deeper level than physical experience can allow. So all those delights and comforts our body and emotions can enjoy on earth are lame compared to experiencing the radiance of God’s majesty in Heaven.

So we have good reason to be filled with Sweet Anticipation every time we think of heaven and our future time in God’s presence for eternity.

Back in the year 1900 hymn writer Charles Gabriel gave us the lovely hymn “Oh That Will Be Glory For Me”, celebrating our Sweet Anticipation.

Just to be near the dear Lord I adore,

Will through the ages be glory for me.

Oh, that will be glory for me, Glory for me, glory for me.

When by His grace I shall look on His face,

That will be glory, be glory for me.

How good will it be? The Bible tells us what God has for us is better than anything we have heard about or seen, or even imagined.

“Eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love him.” 1Corinthians 2:9

Many people don’t stop to enjoy their Sweet Anticipation. They are too distracted with anticipating earthly things and can even think those things, which will be enjoyed for only a transitory moment, deserve more of their time and attention than eternal things.

Those struggling against the frustrations of life, such as limited health, weakness and hopeless conditions, find great encouragement from Sweet Anticipation of heavenly things.

Christians among African slaves of a few centuries ago celebrated their Sweet Anticipation with songs like, “Golden Slippers” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot!”

And Christians in Bible times looked forward to joys waiting after this life is over. Those joys are our ‘hope’.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. So now there is waiting for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day: and not to me only, but also to all those that love his appearing.” 2Timothy 4:7,8

“Hope is laid up for you in heaven, which you already heard about in the word of the truth of the gospel” Colossians 1:5

Friends, Hope sustains you, and it is in you a Sweet Anticipation of things already prepared for you, that so outshine all things of this life that chasing this world’s trinkets is a child’s distraction. May your heart be awakened to the greater wonders waiting for you, and may you live this life with your eye on heaven, not on temporary earthly vanities. And may you serve the Lord with all your might, building His Kingdom as you press forward in Sweet Anticipation.

Do you struggle with doubt at times? It can be a terrible disease that undermines confidence and stops us moving ahead.

Doubt is linked to such things as insecurity and hesitation. It is a lack of confidence in things we could and should rely on.

If someone let us down we may lose confidence in them for the future. They may say they will do something, but we can’t be sure they will. To compensate, we may keep reminding them, or questioning them about what they said they would do. Or we may just give up and go and make other arrangements anyway. Many a wife starts nagging when she loses confidence in her husband. Many a parent nags a forgetful child.

Faith and Hope are two of the three things we are told have enduring power, along with Love.

“Now three things persist: faith; hope and love. The greatest of these is love.” 1Corinthians 13:13

Doubt is the opposite of Faith and it is a loss of Hope, so it is a terrible disease of our heart that robs us of things that can sustain us.

Have you ever had people question you? You might have said you would do something, but they are insecure about trusting you, or whether you remember what you said. They come and say, “Are you going to do that?” You might reply, “Did I Not Say So?”

It can be exasperating to be constantly nagged or reminded about something, due to another person’s insecurity.

Mind you, if you are unreliable that’s a problem you must attend to immediately. Call on God’s help to overcome all those things that make you irresponsible, careless, deceitful and ineffective. God wants to make you like Christ and Christ is completely reliable.

Doubt is most harmful for us when we doubt God and God’s Word. The devil fosters the disease of doubt in our heart so we won’t trust God’s Word. Such doubt can come because we want to reject God’s wisdom and truth, or because our ability to trust has been undermined. We can be arrogant and self-willed, and so doubt and reject God’s promises and God’s very presence in our lives. Or we can be insecure and fearful, and so not be able to muster the courage to trust something we can’t fully test over and over again.

Sadly, it is possible to be so insecure that we don’t even trust ourself. I was told by an elderly lady once, how insecure she felt about locking up her home. She finally made a list of all the things she had to check before retiring. She would go around the home and check off the windows, doors, stove, light switches, etc. Then, once in bed, she would wonder if she missed something.

That’s a terrible burden of insecurity and fear to live with.

God has not given us fear, but a sound mind. A sound mind is one that is not undermined by doubts and anxieties.

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2Timothy 1:7

If you are eaten up with fear and insecurity then take that to God and call on Him to set you free. Especially ask God to pour His love into you, because God’s love drives out fear. And God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

“Hope does not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1John 4:18

Now consider how completely reliable God is. There is no-one so holy and perfect as He is. He is so consistent there isn’t even a shadow of changeability in Him.

“Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, who has no variableness, or shadow of changing direction.” James 1:17

“I am the Lord, I do not change” Malachi 3:6

So when God says something there can be no doubt He means what He says and will do what He says He will do.

“God is not a man, that he should lie, neither the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and won’t he do it? Or has he spoken, and won’t he make it good?” Numbers 23:19

So, as I speak to your heart and stir faith within you, let me suggest that if God has said anything, or made any promises, you can be completely confident in what God has said.

If you look at what God has said and find yourself doubting God, then address two issues. Firstly recognise that you may have the heart disease of doubt and fear, from having questioned God’s Word in the past or been undermined by fears. Call on God for forgiveness and freedom from Doubt and Fear.

Secondly, realise that faith can be built up, step by step, by hearing God’s Word and having faith stirred within you.

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

“Building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” Jude 1:20

Now, think of any of the promises God has made. Select a promise that you would like to have fulfilled in your life, such as salvation of your family, or peace, provision, health, forgiveness, rescue or whatever. Then imagine coming into God’s Throne Room with that promise in your hands, asking God if He would do that for you.

What do you think God would say? Will he say ‘No’ and throw you out of His presence?

If you are born again by faith in Jesus Christ, you are God’s child, and He will never reject you.

Because God is faithful to His Word all God has to say is, Did I Not Say So?