When you are expecting a child, you notice that in everything.
Is that also the case when you are expecting Jesus?

We are expecting a new world, where righteousness dwells. Where everything will be in harmony, with God and with each other. Where it does not make a difference how big the house is where you reside. Or how much money you make. Or how old your car is. Or what kind of a job you have. Or how handy you are. Or how well you learn.

Perhaps then we will not need any money anymore. And schools may be gone as well. Foreign languages will be a thing of the past. And surely the cars will be very clean then. Not sure how we will transport ourselves. God will make all things new, we will be amazed at what we’ll see.

It will exceed all our expectations.

Just on one condition: That we indeed expect it and focus on that.

Driven By Expectation⤒🔗

Moses grew up like a prince in a very affluent court setting. And yet, he chose for the downtrodden Jewish people. Why did he do this? Was it a case of national pride, a Jew belongs to the Jews? Or was it a godly command for Moses?

It is surprising what the Scriptures reveal as motive: Moses kept his eyes on the reproach (Heb. 11:24-26). That means that his focus was on God, on God’s promises and the fulfilment of them. Concretely: Moses expected more from God than from Pharaoh, and that is why he joined the Jewish people.

He was driven, not by a command, but because he focused on the future of God’s grace.

Driven To a Choice←⤒🔗

It invites us to think about this. For we all want God’s grace. Every Lord’s Supper, we seat ourselves again at the table to receive eternal life in Christ. That is what we choose.

But is it really a choice?

With Moses, we see what actually constitutes a choice: when he focused on the future of God’s salvation, he left much at Pharaoh’s court which he did not want to focus on anymore. He did not expect his future from there anymore.

That is quite different than continuing to want to live with Pharaoh and at the same time wanting to live from God’s grace. That is not making a choice. That is wanting to have it all in this world, without and with God. Also, that is not a clear focus on one goal. Actually, that is no focus at all.

Chaos On the Inside?←⤒🔗

We expect a new world.

Yes, are we expecting this?

In the sense that we are focusing on the completion of God’s grace, while we do not expect our happiness to come from the glories we obtain in today’s world.

Concretely: you focus on a new world to come, where it does not matter at all what you can do, and what you have; where you may be everything in Christ Jesus.

Why would you at this time then let yourselves be controlled by measures of unbelief, which contain no expectation whatsoever, in any case, not from God. Would you in that manner be able to keep your faith expectations alive? Probably not.

Actually, man can only focus on one goal at a time. This is even true in soccer. If you want to score in both goals, everything becomes very unclear, and chaotic. And the power disappears, the power of the conviction that you are going for something.

Therefore, it is important that you honestly figure out what are influencing your thoughts and your wants. What determines your joy and your sorrow? What truly interests you? What your heart longs for, there is your treasure, your future.

Orientation From the Goal←⤒🔗

On the other hand, when you expect more from Jesus Christ than from this world and you let that sink in, your life becomes clear. You will see better and better what value is for ever, and the things which do not have that value, you will dislike more and more.

This is how Moses was driven, by the Spirit of Jesus.

, This is how the Spirit still works. Not just through commandments, and not at all when those commandments are interpreted negatively by people. The Spirit of Jesus shows you what grace is: forgiveness of guilt, a hearty embrace, and an all-encompassing new life. In that life it is first and foremost about an inner renewal, that you get to know God, and that you start wanting the things he wants. From there you look further to the complete renewal.

In God’s promises that reality is coming closer. And so, you choose to let go of things and to avoid things when they do not fit with that goal. That is possible, that is the purpose, as the goal for which you live. If it is your goal.

Sin←⤒🔗

Along that line of thought we can formulate what sin is: you sin when you expect more from something or from someone than what you expect from God.

“Sin is lawlessness”, someone will correct me. Indeed, that is true. But the reason for that is they are expecting too little from God. Then other matters quickly look more attractive, and before you know it, you are on your knees before those other things.

While a great expectation of faith will help you to remain close to him and publicly to choose for him. Whatever the cost. For no one will take from you what he gives to you.

Together with Him←⤒🔗

In that manner one can even see that the reproach of Christ is greater riches than the treasures of this world.

That reproach you do not just take for granted, as a negative side effect. No, she is worth more.

That is something entirely different.

When you are reproached together with Christ, you have a lot more than when you are a popular person without him. When you are laughed at together with Christ, you are better off than when you always hid your being-a-Christian, and kept your mouth shut in fear.

How do you attain all this?

You just know that you can expect far more from him. In the future, but also now already.

The ridicule and mockery you may take as proof that you truly belong to Jesus.

Choose Your Goal←⤒🔗

Choosing is difficult for us. We completely feel that again. Because a wrong choice was made in Paradise, to make a good choice is now most difficult for us.

At the same time, this is most important. This is what God wants to hear and wants to see.

The connection with him demands a mutual “yes”.

Fortunately, he was the One to choose first; otherwise we would not even have known him.

And fortunately, Jesus has completed our choice for us, and we may share in his total dedication in words and deeds.

It is a blessed thing that Jesus wants to teach us to make choices, through his Spirit, who has an endless supply of patience.

But now it truly is about your own choice.

Be sure then, that you take time to do it, in this hectic world of today.

And really choose for Whom you want to live.