Category: Hope of Waiting

Romans 8:32 (NIV)
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

God saw our deepest need when we did not, he did the impossible in the overcoming of sin and death and evil through the sending of his one and only Son!  As Christians living in the tension and awkwardness of the in-between times where we do experience new creation and kingdom reality in the here-and-now but not yet in full, there are and will be other needs along the way.  Let’s bring those needs to the Lord, to experience what this passage proclaims: that God who did not spare his own Son will additionally along with him give us all things.

Prayer: Lord, I bring before you today a specific need ____.   Thank you for the overcoming of sin and death that has come through Christ, and that you provide for all other needs as well.  Lord, help me to trust you and obey you in each step with this need, and even though I do not know the how or the when, to know that you will provide.  I receive that assurance and supernatural hope of waiting today.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Believe For It” by Cece Winans: (Click Here)

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Matthew 6:31-33 (NIV)
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus talks about how meticulously God cares about birds and flowers as a contrast to say, aren’t you so much more valuable and important to God, don’t you know God even much more so meticulously cares and will provide for you both what is really, really good and exactly what you need?  Our needs are not minimized, nor are they the focus, rather we seek God and his kingdom and his righteousness, we lose ourselves in him – and our loving heavenly Father gives and provides powerfully and wonderfully for us, his children.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your detailed care over my life.  I seek your kingdom and your righteousness, I run after you with all of who I am, trusting and knowing that you are the one who will provide specifically and wonderfully for me.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Seek First” by Ben Smith and Jason Upton: (Click Here)

 

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Let’s read aloud together this passage and excerpt from the Heidelberg Catechism Question 1:

Psalm 131:3 (NIV)
Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

What is your only comfort in life and death?
That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,
and has set me free from all the power of the devil.
He also preserves me in such a way
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head;
indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me
of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for him.

Let’s worship to the song “How He Loves” by John Mark McMillan: (Click Here)

Prayer: Father, as Agapé Churches we put our hope in you both now and forevermore.  Our lives belong wholly to you, we are covered in your care over our lives, and we are heartily willing and ready to live for you today.  Please empower us as your people and lead us by your Spirit to walk in passionate and trusting obedience to you today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Psalm 131:2 (NIV)
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

“Christian faith is not neurotic dependency but childlike trust. We do not have a God who forever indulges our whims but a God whom we trust with our destinies. The Christian is not a naive, innocent infant who has no identity apart from a feeling of being comforted and protected and catered to but a person who has discovered an identity given by God which can be enjoyed best and fully in a voluntary trust in God. We do not cling to God desperately out of fear and the panic of insecurity; we come to him freely in faith and love.” [Eugene Petersen, A Long Obedience In The Same Direction, 147-148]

What wonderful imagery the psalmist uses of a mother embracing a weaned child.  The weaned child experiences contentment not because all felt needs are met, but rather in the security and assurance of the embrace of the mother knows all needs will be taken care of.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, would you help me experience your embrace today?  In the midst of the felt needs in my life, thank you for your nearness, to be assured and know that I will be wonderfully and fully provided for.  Help me to calm and quiet myself in your supernatural power and intimate presence.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Great Is Your Faithfulness” by Martin Smith (led by Jeremy Riddle): (Click Here)

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Psalm 131:1 (NIV)
My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

“Humility arises from a biblical understanding of who we are and who God is, which leads to absolute submission to and absolute dependence upon God. ‘It is,’ says John Owen, “…to fall down before his sovereignty, wisdom, righteousness, goodness, love, and mercy.’” [J. Stephen Yuille, Longing for Home, location 2135]

In the supernatural encounter with God, we get to experience being wonderfully overshadowed in the greatness of who he is and his love for us.  We realize he is our Creator and Father God who is concerned with and taking care of the great matters and things too wonderful for us and we respond by coming in humility and surrendering all of who we are to him, including our struggles, our triumphs, our needs, our wants, everything to be yielded to him.

Prayer: Lord, in light of who you are and what you’ve done for us, I humble myself and give myself completely once again to you. Father God, the ultimate expression of your detailed care over my life was the sending of Jesus, and today I confess and proclaim Jesus, you are my living hope!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Living Hope” by Phil Wickham. (Click Here)

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