Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Raising Our Expectations

I don't think we'll ever get to the point where we can fully comprehend the power of God. It is beyond our earthly capacity.

But are we even close?

I believe that we are profoundly underestimating what He can do and what He has done. We are told that we can approach the Throne of Grace with confidence, but are we really doing that? What are we confident of? What and WHO are we confident in?

My friend, let me tell you something. THERE IS NOTHING HE CANNOT DO. He is fully able to do the unthinkable, the unimaginable, the impossible, and the things you've given up on.

He can heal a medical issue that "can't" be healed.

He can mend a relationship that you thought could never be fixed.

He can change someone's mind.

He can change someone's heart.

He can fix you.

He can heal you.

He can help you.

Everything He does is for a purpose, it is intentional, it is for His will and His glory.

My friend Emily has a little boy with down syndrome. He has profound hearing loss. One ear was entirely deaf. But she prayed and she prayed and she prayed. She didn't pray that the Lord would give her guidance as she helped her little boy through a life without hearing. SHE PRAYED THAT THE LORD WOULD RESTORE IT. She didn't underestimate the Lord's power. And you know what?

She took that little boy to the doctor. And he passed his hearing test. IN BOTH EARS.

I have a person in my life who can be particularly difficult. A strong personality, if you will. And sometimes I would get so upset cause I thought that we could never make this work. But then I started praying, not that I would be patient with this person, but that God would CHANGE THE RELATIONSHIP. Fix it. Make it better. Make us friends.

Within weeks, something happened. And to this day, the relationship has transformed. A total 180. He changed personalities, y'all. He changed people's hearts.... a person who I thought could only be one way...... this person became another way.

He changed ME. He changed the way I operate, the way I do things, what triggers me. Character flaws that have been a part of me since childhood.... gone.

I say all this to make one point. We need to raise our expectations. We need to give Him credit where all the credit in the world is due. He is an Almighty God with an Almighty purpose and plan. He doesn't need us or our prayers to do His good and perfect will, but He does want to show His glory and have His name praised.

My friend, I ask you.... WHAT ARE YOU NOT ASKING HIM FOR?

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen" -Ephesians 4:20-21 (ESV)

"You are Able" by Christy Nockels

Jehovah, provider
The joy of man's desire, it's You.
Always, You.
Keeper of history, glorious mystery, It's You.
Always, You.

Fulfillment of every longing of man
It's You, our God, it's You!

You are able, higher is our God
than anything that comes our way
Come what may
You alone forever stay
You are able, higher is our God
than anything the comes our way
Come what may
You alone forever stay
You are able, You are able.

Abba, our Father
We run to our Protector, You.
Always, You.
Healer of all things,
we trust no other name but You
Only You.

Fulfillment of every longing of man
It's You, our God, it's You.


You are able, and higher is our God
than anything that comes our way
Come what may
You alone forever stay
You are able, higher is our God
than anything the comes our way
Come what may
You alone forever stay
You are able, You are able!

2 comments:

Lindsey said...

so....one of my favorite little sermons of all time is one of Andy Stanley's called Asking Big. He said that the size of your prayers communicates the size of your god. Our God is SOOO big...why not pray big?

Never Enough Food said...

Love it!