Expectant Faith

What kind of redundant title is that??  Exactly what kind of faith is there besides expectant faith?  Well, interestingly, the Bible does talk about dead faith (James 2)--known by its lack of godly fruits or works, or in this case, maybe dead faith would be known by its fruits, to include worry, fear, and fretting.

You've got to take a look at Psalm 59. . . .David was in a watched house, hiding, again, from the jealous King Saul, who wished him dead.  Understatement would say things looked desperate.  How could he possibly escape?  Fretting would seem natural enough here.  But Psalm 59 shows me a radically different picture.

David prays in vivid terms for deliverance and then settles into expectant faith.  "I will watch for You, for God is my stronghold.  My God in His lovingkindness will meet me."  (Psalm 59:9-10)  The volley continues on to a second round of appeal and then back again to confident praise, in view of his history with God and of God's unchanging nature.

I am buoyed up as I pray along with David's song.   In expectant faith, I, too, watch for what God will do.  Expectant faith acknowledges and takes comfort in God's strength, never ever gives up hope that God will meet me, and joyfully sings about it!!!

Expectant hope in God's strength and love, expressed with joyful singing--there's what a response in the middle of a crisis should look like.  That strikes home. . . .

P.S.  And David got to the other side.  He not only lived, but he lived to become king.  And not only king as God had promised, but the first in the royal line that begat that King of Kings come in the flesh, no less.  Do you see why I call it unquenchable hope?

(As always, I invite you to make yourself at home in the Welcome and Why Unsmotherable Delight pages using the tabs above.)