This photo says it all.  This is what all out praise is about!  Jumping as high as I can in celebration of the One who is worthy to receive.  This is what hope is; tossing cares aside with abandon and placing your trust completely in the unseen future.  I don’t know about you, but this is what I want for my life.  Jump this high, joyously.  Hope this much, expectantly.  Trust this much, with abandon.

I’m heading into deep waters this week.  I caught hold of error this morning at church, asking a friend to pray for me.  I said with my mouth something quite negative.  I asked for prayers to cover that which I anticipated to be like every other time I’ve walked into muddy waters.  Can you relate?  It wasn’t until I walked back to my seat that I felt the nudge from the Holy Spirit; “is that what you really expect this week Linda?”  I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate it when I say something in the spirit of stupid!  My words conveyed what was in my heart, expectation that this will be the same ‘ol same ‘ol and nothing is ever going to change.

But NO!  I repent Lord.  I don’t want to walk into this week with despair.  I want to enter into it with an attitude of gratitude that You are giving me another chance to go expectantly this time.  Earlier today I was reminded of the children of Israel fleeing to the desert as they left Egypt.  They arrived at the Jordan and saw an obstacle.  You know the story.  The river before them, Pharaoh coming in hot pursuit behind them.  “Oh what are we to do God?” they cried.  When the miracle had happened and they were safely on the other side, the people marveled at all the Lord had done.

A few years ago, I heard a teaching on this subject and the speaker shared how the Israelites were so frightened on this side of the Jordan.  They were up against it; water before and an attacking army behind.  They panicked.  Once safely out of harms way, they finally were able to see the hand of God and they rejoiced at what God had done on their behalf.  Then the speaker made a suggestion: while this story has a good ending, what might have happened if the children of Israel had rejoiced on this side of the river?  Might the outcome have been different in that they were rejoicing at what they knew God was going to do because it’s His nature to care for His beloved children?  Even though they couldn’t see His provision, doesn’t mean it was not there all along!

And that is where I find myself this morning.  Facing a Jordan ahead of me and the enemy behind taunting me with words such as, “it’s never going to change, this week will be a trial for you, and you’re already tired and this week will only serve to suck more energy out of you!”  I have a choice to make — right now.

I am choosing to radically embrace the hope of my Savior.  I am going to stand on edge of the shores of my week and declare, “God you are for me and all I do in the coming week is in Your hands.  I am declaring that this week is going to be different because YOU ARE IN IT!  You want the changes I desire even more than I do Lord.  You love the people I’m going to be with this week even more than I do and You want glorious, wondrous change to happen for them.  So Lord, I am going to rejoice on this side of the river on their behalf.  Do what you want to do and help me be part of the change!”

What are you facing this week?  Difficulties in your job?  Your marriage?  Your future?  Would you like to stand with me right now and give thanks and praise for what God is going to do before we even get there?  Would you stand with me, right now, right here?  Yep, get up out of your seat and leap in the air with joyful expectation that God is going to perform a miracle for you this week.  Let’s do it!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)

Jump high joyously.  Hope expectantly.  Trust with abandon.  We can do this people!