Cheerful expectation.

Part 1:

Romans 12:11-12 MSG says, “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder”.

Our verse today says that we should be “alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant”. I have seen people who are expectant but it is very seldom that you see someone who is cheerfully expectant. The word cheerful means, to be noticeably happy and optimistic- according to google, lol. If you don’t like Google, the KJV of our verse says, “rejoicing in hope“. The word “rejoicing” is the Greek word “chairo” which means to rejoice, be glad, to be well, to thrive, to rejoice exceedingly. Either way, we gotta have a smile on our faces as we wait on God.

So how then can we move from just being expectant to being cheerfully expectant?

The answer is in the first part of the verse. We are told not to burn out, to keep ourselves fueled and aflame. Our fuel is the word of God, we are told that man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (see Matthew 4:4). Each day, we are to seek God and receive our fuel for the day. We keep ourselves aflame by fanning the gifts that God has placed in our lives (see 2 Timothy 1:6).

God does not want us to be passive whilst we wait for Him to answer prayers. King David said, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life” (see Psalms 23:6). He didn’t say, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall stand right behind me all the days of my life”. The word follow is an active word. It is a verb- a doing word. Which means that we have to be on the move for goodness and lovingkindness to follow us.

When we are serving God and fanning to flame with gifts within us, when we are walking in relationship with Him, then we will remain fueled and aflame. Our verse said, “keep yourselves fueled and aflame”. It takes action on our parts it is not passive. Cheerful expectation comes when we know that we are in the will of God and that when we pray He hears us because we are praying in accordance with His will (see 1 John 5:14-15).

Oh! How joyful the expectation when we are fully convinced that God is on our side and He loves us and He is for us and we are right in the bulls eye of His will and purpose for our lives. I don’t mean when your life is perfect and you have it all together- no. Most of us live in a world of imperfection but when God is with you in that mess, there is peace and joy.

Whatever you are waiting on in your life, are you waiting with joyful expectation?? Do you have childlike excitement bubbling up on the inside of you? You know God wants us to be joyful and thankful at all times (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Let us wait on the promises of God with cheerful expectation.

Have a blessed week! (Part 2 is coming next week)