In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 (NIV)
Have you ever read the literary classic Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens? I love that title Great Expectations! An important part of prayer is expectation and a fervent sense of expectancy. Whenever we pray, it should be with great expectation. Take the example of David in today’s reading. When a need arose in his life, he laid out his requests in prayer and he looked to the Lord in expectation. Even in difficult circumstances he said:
But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise Him for all that He will do. He is my help! He is my God! Psalm 42:11 (TLB)
Again, he declared:
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5 (KJV)
When we pray, we should expect to see the answer. Jesus said to us:
“…whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:24 (NKJV)
Again, He said:
“Ask, and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his sons asks for bread, will give him a stone? Of if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to whose who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11 (NKJV)
Remember that there are no limits to what God can do because He is magnificent. Our confidence is in Him. I leave you to pause in His Presence and meditate on 1 John 5:14-15:
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)