God’s Goodness (Part 3)

 

** Get a chance to win a free $10 itunes gift card by telling us in the comment section what kind of fruit is depicted in the picture above. We will draw a name from only people who left us the right answer. 

The Other Fruit

Romans 5:5 NASB, “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

I will never forget when I found out I was pregnant with my first baby. I had 9 months to ponder what he would look like and how my life was about to change forever. The midwife confirmed what my home test had already told me. “You are expecting!”

Anticipation grew each day not only in me but in everyone around me to finally hold my little bundle of joy. But with it came some fears. Was I eating healthy enough? Is the baby getting everything he needs to grow and develop? His frame was hidden from me deep inside of my womb, but not from God who was knitting him together, as I hoped with all of my heart for His goodness to be made complete on delivery day. (Ps 139)

The funny thing about delivery day is that the doctor makes no promises of when that day will come. We experience signs and evidences of the approaching time. A few of the less gross signs are morning sickness, a growing belly and extreme discomfort, but none of the signs indicate the day or the hour. They only increase the welling expectation in a mother’s heart.

It was getting late, and I was ready for bed when my husband nervously informed me that my blog site had been hacked.  This was especially upsetting news since I was scheduled to give a talk at Orchid (http://www.itsorchid.com/),  a group of professional women in business, in the morning where I would be promoting my blog as well.

Trav stayed up until 4am while he and his friend did everything they could to fix it. By morning they had done all they could, and now we were waiting for Safari and Entourage to deem it safe again and re-allow it. This could take more than a week.

I felt like the Lord told me not to make any apologies to the ladies about my site being down. I trusted Him, even though it was still not up and running by the time I left the house.

After the meeting I was anxious to dash home and see what God had done. Had He come through for me, I wondered. Running through the door I grabbed my laptop, but just before I was about to open it I had a thought, “I can’t get excited.”

Heads up people! God hears our thoughts.

He asked me, “Why can’t you get excited?”

I had to be honest … since He hears what I am thinking anyway, “I don’t want to be disappointed if it isn’t up.”

“Just because others have disappointed you doesn’t mean that I am going to,” came His affirming reply.

We don’t see delivery day without expectancy. (Mark 6:4-6)

I waited one more second before opening my laptop. I allowed my heart to get stirred up again. Just when I felt the excitement return, there was my website back up and running.

Coincidence?  I hope not.

Google’s definition for EXPECTATION is:

1. A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.
2. A belief that someone will or should achieve something.

Hope is a synonym for expectation.

God wants us to pray with expectation, especially when He has specifically promised to do something. (Mark 11:23-24”)

Real stories really do make tough truths easier to swallow. So here’s another one.

I don’t get attached to cars. Remember how I told you my husband LOVES them? Well, that means that they are always changing. There really isn’t time to get attached before Trav is bringing home the next family vehicle, that is until this last one.  It’s a black SUV that connects to my phone as soon as I get in the car. I can talk hands free or I can listen to all the songs on my phone through the vehicles excellent sound system. I had grown quite fond of this beast by the time my husband brought home its replacement. It looked just like my “old” one except that it was going to save us $200 dollars a month without all of my favorite features.

I wanted to be onboard with my husband’s plan to save money, but I was sad when the day came for me to drive my “friend” to the dealer to make the trade. He wasn’t in the car with me to watch me cry. But the Lord saw. I heard Him ask me, “Do you want Me to get your car back for you?”

It’s another one of those times when you think “that must be me disguising the voice in my head as God’s.” Years ago I may have dismissed what I heard, but I have since learned to trust that I hear Him. Extravagant things are easy for God. It’s not like anything I could hope for in Him is going to break His bank. I don’t know what holds us back from being receivers when our God just loves to give.

Still, I was hesitant, “Lord, I don’t want to be some kind of diva. The new car that Trav wants me to drive is fine. And I am thankful to have a good running car. I want to honor my husband in his decision, and it’s smart to make cut backs.”

“Do you want Me to get your car back for you?”

Blushing I said, “Yes. If you want to do that for me, I would love it.” I didn’t know how He was going to do it, maybe in a couple years the car would depreciate enough and that would be the next vehicle Trav would bring home to me; probably not the same exact car, but maybe its sister or something. The only thing I really knew for sure was that He would bring it back to me someday just like He promised. He had declared that I was “expecting.” And for that, I was hopefully anticipating my delivery.

A few days later, Trav comes home while I am doing the dishes. Being a bit frustrated, he begins to tell me that it doesn’t look like things are going to work out the way he planned. We may have to switch the SUV’s back. Travis was still pretty concerned that all the switching may cost us extra money in taxes.

By now I am unable to control my giggling, but I assured my husband that I knew it was going to work out just fine. I didn’t want to spiritually manipulate him or the situation by spilling the beans on my promise from God so that is ALL I said. I knew that the Word says God adds riches without any sorrow attached to it, so we were going to be just fine.

The evidence had become clear that my time was approaching.  Fear could have crept in. Striving to make things happen the way God had promised could have come through spiritual manipulation of my husband. But God’s goodness has become evident in my life every time I cruise around in my big bundle of joy.

Expectancy, HOPE is contagious. When I share my stories it inspires others to begin to hope in the Lord too. The word says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

I’m not a diva. I am just God’s girl. I am not special … well at least I am not any more special than you. The fact that I know this may be the only real difference between us.

The enemy wanted me to keep believing that I wasn’t worth anything more than salvation. I was full of pride to hope that one day I could see my prayers answered. He lied to me saying I was driven by greed to expect that God would truly do exceedingly abundantly far above anything I could ask or think in every area of my life.

But the minute I took a baby step towards hope, God RAN to prove Himself to me. He has shown me how His glory shines through His children when they have all that they need and are able to be a blessing to others.

Just like my husband and I would be horrified if the school called and asked us why our kids didn’t have shoes, or warm clothes, or the supplies they needed when all they would’ve had to do was ask us; God’s goodness and His majesty are on display before the world through US who profess His name.  I hope that hurting people can look at my life and find hope. This is why I write. I want to share the hope I have found in my relationship with Jesus.  And I want to be inspired to hope BIGGER as I hear your stories. We change the hopeless atmosphere all around us when we share about how God has delivered His goodness into our life. We aren’t bragging on our self. We are magnifying the Lord!

For YEARS I settled for what the enemy told me was all there was to this child of God thing. And now that I know the truth, I HAVE to share it. But it’s your choice to take a chance and receive it.

Taste for yourself and see that the Lord is good to YOU!