As a young girl, I remember the start of a new school year being so exciting! The first day of school for me was as New Years was to the grownups I knew. It was a time for vows and resolutions: THIS would be the year to make perfect grades. THIS would be the time for me to make new friends. Yes, THIS would be the defining year of my talents as well as my personality. I would even be a better Christian witness, and EVERYTHING would be more exciting than the year before….
The cherry on top was the blessing of new clothes (or even someone else's handmedowns), cool school supplies and all the other “stuff” that was required for a student to get a good start to the new year. Cha ching! Christmas in August!!!!
On the other side of the beaming and scheming, though, was Anxiety, just waiting to rear her ugly head. What will I wear? Which teachers will I have? Who will I sit next to? WHERE did these pimples come from? Before the first bell had even rung, Anticipation, Aspiration and Anxiety had become inseparable friends of mine.
Nonetheless, now that those days are over, I wouldn’t mind having that feeling of great expectation again. Sometimes I get so distracted in the dailyness of life, even anxious about what's around the corner, that I miss the renewal and hope the Lord is offering me each day. The Bible is filled with promises to anticipate:
Lamentations 3:22-23So what does this mean for us? It means that we can be like school kids at the end of summer each and every day, but without the worry. No matter what fruit we are lacking, the Lord will be faithful to provide it as we put our hope in Him. It is a daily (for me, hourly sometimes) process….it is a “giving over” of ourselves with the exchange of renewed eagerness for the great things God can do in and through us as we let Him. We can choose to serve ourselves, our anxieties and our desires; or we can start the day with dependence on our Lord, who will faithfully show up and keep His promises. Let’s decide to proclaim our anticipation in Him alone this very day!
“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
2 Corinthians 4:16
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away,
yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
Psalm 51:10
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Colossians 3:10
“…and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you,
then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve….
But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15
