“…the Lord [earnestly] waits
[expecting, looking, and longing]
to be gracious to you;
and therefore He lifts Himself up,
that He may have mercy on you
and show loving-kindness to you.
For the Lord is a God of Justice.
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied)
are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him,
who expect and look and long for Him
[for His victory, His favor,
His love, His peace, His joy,
and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!”
Isaiah 30:18 (AMP)
Something about leaning in grabs the heart of God.
Maybe because it reflects His own posture of expectancy…
Last summer I shared about the Holy Spirit using the smell of fresh rain in the middle of summer to tell me, “It smells like spring” (The Power and Purpose of Heaven’s Fragrance ). This simple prompting caused me to look for new growth, new beginnings, in the coming weeks even as fall would argue otherwise.
I began to see robins everywhere and came home one afternoon to a flock of bluebirds in my yard: two distinct signs of spring in the mountains of Wyoming. Everywhere I looked I was reminded of the Holy Spirit’s words:
“I can bring springtime to any season. I made the seasons for man, for the earth, but I’m outside of time. I can bring forth Life in any season.“
As winter blew across our state, other signs of new life showed themselves: new and deepening relationships; growth of understanding and watering truth in others; unique opportunities and renewed hope.
Now, today, I ran across my notes reminding me again of these things.
You see, my Creator doesn’t want me to miss my destiny. He really wants me to see and know and live in confident expectation of His goodness, power, and wisdom each and every day.
He wants me to be childlike even as I mature, looking for surprises around every corner, knowing He has planted them for both my good and my pleasure.
You’re no different!
He is pursuing you.
He is grinning as He plans out your way.
He wants you sitting on the edge of your seat!
No, not every path will be easy, nor every lesson immediately understood. Yet He still expects.
He still “waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you].”
He still “lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you.” Isaiah 30:18 AMP
Blessed are you when you look and long and expect Him also!
Blessed are you when you wait in anticipation of His love, peace, joy, favor, and perfect companionship.
I urge you in this Resurrection season, rise up in His resurrection Life. Rise up and dream and look and hope. Rise up, even as He has risen – and still rises each day to meet you.
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