Anticipation: April 24, 2013

Today's Word for Wednesday April 24, 2013

ANTICIPATION

DEFINITION:

To expect or look forward to; to realize or feel beforehand.

SCRIPTURE:

Joshua told the people: Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you. Joshua 3:4

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When you think of times in your life when you anticipated something good or bad how did you react? Anticipation has an emotional effect on us. Excitement wells up within us when we are anticipating something good, such as the birth of a child, a trip, a reunion with someone close to us, etc.

When we are anticipating something bad we are filled with dread and fear. Often we find that after going through something we anticipated with dread, that the anticipation was worse than the actual experience.

When our children were young, we spent our vacation time each summer at the beach on the Pacific Ocean. Each of the children when experiencing the ocean surf for the first time showed fear of the breaking waves. They would stand at the water's edge and watch the waves come in and go out. As they watched they noticed that when the water receded sand was exposed. After a short time they would get a little daring and run out as the tide went out, chasing the water back to the ocean. They carefully would watch the waves in anticipation so they would have time to run ahead of the incoming wave back to the safety of the beach.

In Joshua chapter three, we find Israel standing on the edge of the Jordan River in anticipation of entering the Promised Land. For forty years God caused the Israelites to wander in the desert as punishment for their sins. Finally, a new generation was ready to enter the Promised Land; however, there was one major obstacle. Between the Israelites and the Promised Land was the Jordan River which was overflowing its banks due to the spring rains. Just think of the mixed emotions that went through each person's mind in anticipation of what was to come.

God always has a plan for carrying out His promises. God instructed Joshua what to do to solve their problem. The Priests that were carrying the Ark of the Covenant were to stand in the water at the edge of the Jordan River. As soon as the Priests feet touched the water, the waters parted. Then the Priests, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, stood on dry land in the middle of the river until the entire nation of Israel had crossed over into the Promised Land. Have you ever wondered about the anticipation that the Priests had waiting to see what God was going to do?

The anticipation of doing something new or dangerous is often accompanied by an element of fear. We can only imagine the fear the Priests must have felt as they stepped out into the raging river; nevertheless, they stepped in faith in obedience to God's command.

Think about all of the people and events we read about in the Bible. What was the anticipation of "things and events" like for them? What kind of anticipation did Noah go through building an ark in the desert and then waiting for it to rain? What about the anticipation that David experience when he was walking out to meet the giant Goliath with five stones and a sling shot?

What about the anticipation that the disciples had as they watched Jesus die on the cross? The disciples had been anticipating that Christ had come to set up His kingdom and free Israel from the oppressive rule of the Romans. The crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans dashed all of their hopes. It was not until after Jesus rose from the dead that they understood that Jesus would come again as a conquering King to rein over a new heaven and a new earth.

We all run into obstacles in our life that stand between us and what God wants us to do. In order for God to help us get around the obstacles we must trust Him and do what is right and not be afraid to step out in faith. If fear had kept the Priests from stepping into the river Jordan, they would have allowed the river to be an obstacle that would have kept them from what they had so long anticipated --- entering the Promised Land.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 3:3.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

PRAYER:

Lord, help me to anticipate receiving God's blessings in my life. Help me to overcome the obstacles in my life that stand between me and You by trusting in You and being obedient to Your will for my life. Help our family to renew our relationship with You and each other.