Every Friday night, we have a special custom at our house, one that all of us look forward to. Friday night is “Restaurant Night,” when the kids can have virtually whatever they want for supper (as long as it’s anywhere close to within reason, and as long as Mommy doesn’t have to cook it). Usually, the kids choose breakfast cereal because it’s easy for them to prepare and they enjoy it.
This past Friday, we were running low on cereal. I knew the kids would probably want to choose cereal that evening for supper, yet we were running out of options. So I made a trip to the store primarily for different kinds of cereal. Of course, being at the store, I found several other things we needed, and I came home with six or seven bags. I set them down in the kitchen and came to find my husband at the computer and let him know I was home.
Ellie and Kenny were standing right there. “Did you buy cereal?” Ellie asked as soon as she saw me.
“Yes, I did,” I said.
“I can’t wait to see what cereals you bought!” Kenny exclaimed, throwing his arms around me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” He then ran off toward the kitchen to check.
And I thought, “You know, I bet that’s the attitude God would love for us to have with Him.” God wants us to have the same attitude of expectancy toward Him and the goodness of His gifts that Kenny had toward me. “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to give me, God! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Yet too often, we don’t expect much from Him. It’s true that God may or may not be planning on blessing us with material things, and that expecting those things doesn’t mean God has to give them to us. It’s also true that being greedy doesn’t get us anywhere with God—quite the opposite, in fact. But sometimes, He does give us material blessings. Besides that, he always gives us abundant spiritual blessings.
God, I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do in this situation. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
God, I can’t wait to see how you’re going to restore peace to my soul. Thank you!
God, I can’t wait to experience the joy I know you will bring from this situation. Thank you!
Precious mom, we can approach God expectantly, knowing we will receive something from Him. He’s already promised us every spiritual blessing (see Eph. 3:1). We know we’re going to receive. So we can look forward to whatever He’s promised, knowing that a good and perfect gift is coming our way.
True, we don’t get some things we ask for because they don’t fit in with God’s plan for our lives. But other times, we’re told in Scripture that we don’t have because we don’t ask, or that we ask wrongly. (See James 4:2.) So not only can we wait expectantly for God’s good and perfect gifts, but we can ask Him for what we need!
Are you waiting on God? Are you asking Him for anything? Why not try the same approach Kenny tried with me: “I can’t wait to see what you’re going to do, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
James 1:17—Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (NIV)
1 Corinthians 2:9—However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” (NIV)