Anticipation
Some friends gave us this book and challenged us to "Draw the Circle"
by praying together for 40 Days! It means getting up earlier and then making time to reflect on what we've seen God do when we get back together at the end of the day, but it's exciting. Each of the first two days while we are reading together the Spirit has brought me to tears through the words I've read.
The word for the day...
Anticipation! I really like this word. It's right up there with expectancy. It just popped in my head yesterday as I was walking across a parking lot. Draw the Circle probably has a lot to do with it.
The dictionary defines anticipate as regard as probable; expect, predict.
I expect God to move in my life. I know it's probable the Holy Spirit is going to spur me into actions I don't want to take. I predict when I confess my sins and quiet my mind and sit before the Lord, I will hear from Him. Yup, I anticipate God showing up if I get myself out of the way and allow Him.
Day 2 placed the reminder of Proverbs 16:9 before me..."In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord established their steps."
Batterson wrote: "God wants to get us to where God wants us to go more than we want to get where God wants us to go. And He is awfully good at getting us there. All we have to do is follow the script of Holy Scripture and the improvisation of the Holy Spirit.
We can't create divine appointments. All we can do is keep them.
We can't plan God-ordained opportunities. All we can do is seize them.
We can't perform miracles. All we can do is pray for them.
Our job is to hear His voice. His job is to establish our steps. And if we do our job, God will do His!"
It wasn't long into my morning, in a public setting, that God placed a very quiet young woman on my heart. She was working at the place of business were I had just come out of a rest room. God said, "Go ask her what is one thing new she'd like to do in 2020." At just that moment, she walked into a workroom and closed the door to where just a crack was open.
"Well, she's gone God, I don't want to bother her," I replied.
"Knock on the door," my Father instructed. Oh, Lordy, I thought! Here we go. So, obediently I knocked on the door. She just said, "Yes," but didn't open the door, so I peeked in and told her what God was up to.
She was beautiful, twenty years old at max. I asked the question. She replied,
"What I want to do isn't new, but I want to regain my confidence in myself and put forth my best version of me in 2020." We exchanged names and I told her I'd be praying for exactly that. I headed out to my car and that's when the word came...anticipation. Go with God and expect Him to be up to good. I'm really excited to get to know this young woman. I guarantee you I feel better about being obedient than if I'd walked out of there with excuses.
My husband had an equally as amazing encounter himself with a man who has just gotten out of jail. This is going to be an exciting journey!
