What Do You Expect?

This morning I am thinking about God’s grace and goodness in answering my prayers.  For several years, I’ve been keeping a prayer journal that I carry around almost everywhere.  I was finding that when people shared with me some of their trials, challenges, goals and dreams, I would often say, “I’ll be praying for you.”  But, then, I’d forget.  So, in my prayer journal I write down requests and petitions concerning family, friends, and even people I don’t know.  When I started this journal, it was with the express purpose of having a personal written record of God’s care, mercy, and lovingkindness toward His children.  For every prayer, I include the date when I first write it down.  Then, during my quiet time, I make intercession.  Periodically, I’ll read through the entire journal.  I'll put check marks next to the prayers that have already been answered, and I’ll write prayers of thanksgiving.  For the ones that have not yet been answered, I’ll put a new date and continue praying.  Certainly, not all of the prayers I’ve written have been answered in the way I had hoped.  Perhaps most significant were my many prayers for my brother, Andy, to be physically healed.  Those prayers have a circle around them.  Somehow, I am finding hope and peace even in the “circles” as I learn to trust in God’s wisdom.  Last night, I was reading through my written prayers.  There were prayers about healing, prayers about jobs, and prayers about relationships.  There were prayers for protection, prayers about finances, and prayers for favor.  And on page after page, there were check marks!  I was actually struck by how many check marks there were!  But then I asked myself, “Well, what do you expect?”  If, ultimately, I don’t expect God to hear and answer, I may as well pitch my journal in the trash right now.  But I won’t do that.  Instead I will strive to think, speak, and conduct myself in ways that are reflective of my thankfulness and confidence in His continued faithfulness.  I will keep writing prayers, knowing that God will do exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or think…or write.  Based on His track record, I don’t expect anything less.