Earnest Expectations by Pastor Karena Lout

”For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the spirit of Jesus according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness as always so now also Christ will be magnified in my body whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:19-21

For some time I’ve been thinking about this phrase “earnest expectation.” In the Greek it means properly thinking forward like an Olympic runner looking forward to the end goal with their head outstretched. The runner most definitely relies on their physical capabilities and endurance but to reach the end goal, they need to BELIEVE that they will actually win the race.

We already know the end of the story: Jesus won! Although I know this to be true, I have to be completely honest, with all of the catastrophic events happening around the world, I found myself asking God questions that still remain a mystery. I’ve come to a place where I’m okay with that. In a culture that wants answers quick, mystery can be a difficult thing to live with. We may not understand why there is so much suffering in the world but it’s extremely vital that we understand who God is in it. He governs the earth with justice, He is a righteous King, He is moved by suffering, He weeps with those who weep, He isn’t distant, He is victorious and HE IS GOOD.

Once God began to remind me about who He is, my question changed from, “why is this happening?” to “what is my position and response to injustice?” When I first became aware of human trafficking, I remember feeling that the problem was so enormous that I couldn’t possibly do anything to help. When we believe that to be true, we become immobile. So I began with prayer and soon after, I started volunteering working with survivors. This is the greatest moment in history for the church to rise up and respond. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been so aware of the fear and unrest around the globe. We can either give in to that fear and worry or we can look for the opportunity to bring comfort, to be peacemakers on the earth. We are ambassadors of Christ. What an honor and privilege!

I still find myself weeping, especially over the lives taken in Iraq. We’ve been given a new, soft heart that is moved by pain and suffering. At the same time, I am filled with earnest expectation in who Jesus is and the infinite possibilities to represent Him. You carry the most valuable commodity in the world inside of you, Christ in you, the hope of glory. I pray that God would begin to release strategies and ideas to you that will shape history and transform lives around you. I pray that He would fill your hearts and minds with earnest expectation and remove any fear of the future. You are loved and adored by the King of the Universe. The life and love you carry is a gift the world is eagerly waiting to unwrap.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5

Love, Karena