Expectations – General And Specific – Great And Small Series

EXPECTATIONS – GENERAL AND SPECIFIC – GREAT AND SMALL

I wonder how many are familiar with the novel “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens. Pip the orphan boy relates his story that is based around what expectations wait for him, surprises, incorrect assumptions, tragedy and a lot more. Well as an orphaned boy in Victorian England he had no future but did have expectations that arose from third parties.

I loved playing cricket, and as an opening batsman, every time I went out to the cricket pitch and stood at the crease and waited for the opening bowler, at the back of my mind there were expectations of what score might be made. There were always cricketers one would admire, and etched in my memory are Jeff Thompson (bowler), Allan Border (batsman) and the greatest batsman since the great Don Bradman – Sachin Tenduldar of India, the “Little Master”. I loved watching Tendulkar and always had great EXPECTATIONS of a prolific run rate. (For those who don’t know cricket, you won’t know what I am saying.)

[A]. Peter was in prison and there was a prayer meeting for him. It is recorded in Acts 12 v 8-16, but just a few verses - Acts 12:4 When he had seized him he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people, Acts 12:5 so Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.”

What were the expectations of those in that prayer meeting, and what were they praying for? God’s intervention saw Peter released and he went to the house of the prayer meeting - Acts 12:13-16 {{“When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer, and when she recognised Peter’s voice, she did not open the gate because of her joy, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” but she kept insisting that it was so and they kept saying, “It is his angel.” Peter continued knocking, and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.”}} That would have to be the most NON-EXPECTATION prayer meeting there was. There was no expectation there for Peter’s release. You wonder what they were praying for.

[B]. We find some examples of expectation in Scripture and will look at a few of them:

[1]. CLOSED EXPECTATION

Joseph was sold into slavery into Egypt but God’s hand was upon him and He promoted Joseph to the high position of service. In time Jacob was brought to Egypt and met Joseph – {{Genesis 48:11 “And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well.”}} The facts of Joseph’s disappearance counted against all expectation. This was like Sarah who was 90 and had no expectation of a child in her old age. Over time Jacob has lost any expectation of ever seeing Joseph again. All his hopes and memories were assigned to the past. This is an example of a closed expectation.

[2]. MISPLACED EXPECTATION

Expectation can grow large in some people because of pride or arrogance or personal ambition. The signs can be misread and misapplied. God’s ways are not our ways often, and what we concoct in our thinking, our minds come to expect it to be God’s way. That leads to so much disappointment, and in the case in this story from 1Kings, it led to tragedy. Leaving God out of the picture and planning our own destiny with all its expectation of the flesh and personal ambition will leave us stranded like fish beyond the high water mark. Let us read that Kings passage.

{{1Kings 2:15-16 “So he (Adonijah) said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel expected me to be king. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s (Solomon), for it was his from the LORD. And now I am making one request of you - do not refuse me,” and she said to him, “Speak.”}} This is so common and will mostly come down to motives, for our motives can be quite deceitful or ill-conceived. Our hearts must be true to God and so often we are creatures of the old nature and our perceptions and expectations are in line with that old nature. Throughout life we can develop false expectations that influence behaviour and attitudes. Reality might hit the wall as it did in Adonijah’s case and can lead to such disappointment and loss, but be very careful because it can lead to resentment and jealousy also.