Scripture
Just as it is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”
~Romans 9:33, NASB
Quote
Expectations control how we interpret experience.
~Timothy Keller
If you are checking in to a hotel or motel and the clerk tells you there is only one room available; you may ask what sort of room. The clerk may say, “It is just a room, one bed, toilet facilities; the basics–kind of like a prison cell.” Or the clerk could say, “It is a fantastic room, we call it the presidential suite.” If the clerk tells you the former–it’s just a room with basics and then you open the door, you see a nice queen size bed, a TV, lamp, and bathroom: you breath a sigh of relief and say, “not bad.” But suppose the clerk told you it was the Presidential Suite and you open the door and there is one queen size bed, a TV, lamp and restroom–you are disappointed because you expected more.
God always fulfills His promises but He does it at a level that is far greater in complexity than we can discern. God promised the Jews a Messiah. He sent them a Messiah and the greater part of the Jewish nation was disappointed. They were disappointed because they had false expectations. They were not thinking about being delivered from sin and death; they were thinking about a political messiah who would save them from Rome and make them the leading nation in the world.
Let me ask you a question: Is slavery a greater problem than sin? Many who were slaves in this life will be rulers in heaven: Joseph, Nehemiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah to mention a few. Some of Paul’s trusted assistants were slaves. Had you rather lose your freedom or your soul? The Jews were obsessed with their enemies: the only problem was–they were obsessed with the wrong enemy. I consider the leftist who are trying to destroy our REPUBLIC my enemies as well as Muslims and Communist but they are not the enemy that bothers me most. The enemies I focus on are: Satan, sin, pride, lust, envy, greed, impatience and anything else that is uncharacteristic of Jesus.
The Church will someday rule the world with CHRIST at the Head but that is not my focus. The world will see CHRIST as King someday but that is all in God’s timing. My concern is today. How can I please Him today? What did the angelic choir sing...”Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.” My deepest need is not dominance, it is peace and I get that from pleasing God. He has given me the assurance that He will deal with all my enemies and He began in the right place–SIN. Since I believe this, I am not disappointed in Jesus; not at all.
LORD willing the family is going canoeing today. We are trying out a new place and I will let you know what I think. I need the exercise and if I overheat I can flip my canoe.