Maybe

“…Who knows?  Maybe the Lord will be gracious to me…”  2 Samuel 12:22

I have certain expectations of God.  Sometimes my expectations of God are tied to my own actions.  Sometimes I think that because I am a good person, God will do something for me.  Sometimes I think that because I engage in certain spiritual disciplines, God will fix my problems.  Sometimes I think that because God always comes through for me, He will come through again.

But I know God does not work that way.

Should we have expectations of God?  Sure.  Scripture tells us to expect things from God.  I think that we can expect exactly what scripture tells us–that He loves us, that He will care for and comfort us, that His will will come to pass in our lives.

The quote above was uttered by David during one of the lowest points of his life.  David had slept with the wife of one of his soldiers.  When the woman became pregnant, he had her husband intentionally killed in battle and married her.  Their young son fell ill, and David pled with God to spare his son’s life.  He did not sleep.  He did not eat.  He only begged God to let his son live.  But he died.  And after he died, David got up, washed his face and clothes and worshipped God.  One of his servants asked David why he mourned so when the child was sick, but ate and worshipped when he died.  David replied, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows?  The Lord may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’”

Wow.  To have that kind of peace with and understanding of God.

David expected that God would be just.  But David did not expect a particular and specific outcome.  David expected that God would hear his cries, but not that God would behave a certain way because of them.

And when God did not answer his prayers in the way David wanted, he worshipped.

Dear God, help me to expect of you only that which I should.

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