As I find myself nearing the end of the story of David, I was struck this morning with the story surrounding Solomon. What God does with Solomon’s life is astounding considering all the circumstances around his birth. In my bible recap podcast Tara Leigh Cobble says ” Before David ever sinned with Bathsheba , God had a plan. Solomon. Sin doesn’t ever get to win – it always serves God’s purposes somehow. ” Surely, This story is a reminder of God’s providence, grace, and redemption. But what I felt today was EXPECTATION. It was a reminder to me – that God is never done. That not only can He be trusted- not only is He faithful, but because He is those things , we can learn to EXPECT of Him again.

My early mornings this week have been reunited with my porch and the early morning sun. The trees have leaves, the lilacs smell , the peonies are budding and the grass is green. There is something about the warm weather and the sun that helps to move the winter of my soul towards joy again. I LOVE the sun, ☀️ There is just something about the pending summer that can shift things for me. And as I read the story again of David’s preparation for the temple, that Solomon was to be the one to build, I felt a stirring again of expectation. And I marvelled at how God can turn and has planned to turn otherwise tragic circumstances and hard seasons into stories of redemption and of hope and of good that only He can tell. And then to read David’s psalms in such a way that we see that as he REMEMBERED what God had done in the past; he was able to have a heart of expectation that surely God would do it again in the future; despite Himself.

Can you recall a season of ministry or your personal life when you were just astonished at what God was doing? A time when you repeatedly thought – Only God could do that ! Perhaps there are a few of you women who read this and you are there right now – you are in the thick of a story you could not have written yourself – you are experiencing answered prayers and seeing God move in powerful ways. Write it down – journal it – remember it.

Perhaps there are those of you who read this and think – I have forgotten what it’s like to live in a posture of expectation. Perhaps even that word comes tied up with disappointment or pain. I do understand and I am sorry and I wish I could sit with you and talk about that 🥹. I know what that’s like. You are not alone in that. The beautiful part of scripture is that we see ourselves in the story. Expectation – disappointment – pain and yet God – again.

As summer approaches and I begin to consider what I want to think about and pray about over the summer – I can’t help but feel prompted to lean into the posture of EXPECTATION. I want to want it – I want to feel it in my bones again – I want the Spirit of God to stir up my heart a longing to know him deeply and to see God do some things again. Trev and I are praying for our neighbors, and their kids. We want to see revival happen in our day – in our City- in our Church. And of course, personal prayers that you pray and lay before God with a deep understanding that there are things that only He can do.

How do we get there again? How do we believe that God can do – again – what we have seen Him do before? Lets look at the Psalms. . I love this Psalm – because if you have lived any days this seems to capture (for me ) the reality of what I am asking.

Psalm 40
I waited patiently for the Lord; ( David waits )
he inclined to me and heard my cry. ( David prays )
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, ( God does the doing – the drawing up out of the pit – David did not muster this up )
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock, (Look what God is doing )
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, ( This is what we are asking – A new song – a posture of expectation )
a song of praise to our God. ( David praises God as he waits, as he is drawn up , as his spirit is stirred with a new song)
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord. ( is David telling others? Testifying to what God is doing in him and has done before ?)

4 Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told. ( David remembers what God has done and reminds himself by telling others )

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.[a]
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God; ( God wants our hearts )
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance[b]. ( David declares to others what God has done – We usually find the encouragement of Gods grace in our own life when we tell stories of God )
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
O Lord, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer; ( Davids heart is full of expecation that God will AGAIN deliver him and in that deliverance many will testify to Gods goodness )
do not delay, O my God!

Psalm 143: 5,6
I remember the days of old; ( David looks back and remembers what God has done.. and looks to him again. in a posture of humility )
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Psalm 77: 11-15
I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
the children of Jacob and Joseph.

God ; Here I am. again. I want to have a heart that expects that you can do marvelous and mighty things. But I do not have the ability to conjure up hope on my own some , nor do you want me to. So I will lay myself before you and entrust my heart to you, that because YOU are God and I am not; that you are able ( exceedingly able ) to give me a new mind; a new heart; and a new spirit. Give me a new song like David – to remember and to testify to what you HAVE done and give me your Spirit that I might be full of EXPECTANT HOPE for what you can do again ! Help me to long for you as I wait in expectation to be filled by you, to want to know you, and to witness your work. 0

Ladies,
Will you join me this summer and lean into a posture of EXPECTATION ? Would you consider memorizing Psalm 77:11-15 and praying those words trusting that God will use HIS word – that is living and active to produce in you what you could not produce on your own? Hope, trust, faith, friendship and a growing expectation that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can even ask or imagine?

When you get this email tonight, know that I have prayed for you by name. Prayed that Gods Spirit would revive you again. Prayed that God would re-ignite a spiritual flame in your soul that would lead you to Him and that you would desire to Expect again.

Know that I am with you in the journey, and in the fight for faith. May we be women who lead others in expectant hope that God can do it again. ♥️

With lots of love,

Lesley. XO

Resources

https://blog.lproof.org/2014/05/the-god-of-again.html. – This Beth Moore article is so good !

https://youtu.be/uF6HlhGy3LM?feature=shared. – Lauren Daigle – Come alive ( dry bones)

https://youtu.be/k0W_5474lC4?feature=shared. – Jon Tyson from Gather 25 – Expect Great things; Attempt great things. I loved this

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/future-church-grandpas-grandmas/. – Great article by Trevin Wax on the future of Church Grammas and Grampas

https://youtu.be/ZM65QeqA1CA?feature=shared. – Jackie Hill Perry – How to petition God – Challenging and convicting to want God not just Gods hand.

Preview YouTube video Come Alive (Dry Bones) – Lauren Daigle Lyric Video


Come Alive (Dry Bones) – Lauren Daigle Lyric Video
Preview YouTube video Expect Great Things, Attempt Great Things | Jon Tyson
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Expect Great Things, Attempt Great Things | Jon Tyson
Preview YouTube video How to petition God (1 Samuel 1-20)
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How to petition God (1 Samuel 1-20)