Transformed Expectations. Numbers 24-25; Luke 7

May the mumbling commence!

I have expectations.  You have expectations.  Everyone has expectations.  But, let’s be careful to not allow our expectations to form our concept of who the Lord is and what the Lord is calling us to do.

In the world there are many deceptions.  There are many things that seem fair to our appetites.  But they are foul in the Lord’s eyes.  Read from Numbers chapter twenty-five:

While the Israelites were camped at Acacia, some of the men defiled themselves by sleeping with the local Moabite women.  These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, and soon the Israelites were feasting with them and worshiping the gods of Moab.  Before long Israel was joining in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord's anger to blaze against his people. (Verses 1-3)

The Moabite women must have been pleasing to the eyes.  But that surface beauty hid a malevolent tumor – worship of a god other than the Lord.  These women led Israelite men to the worship of Baal – which often included sex.  This relationship was causing a fracture in Israel’s relationship with the Lord.  And blessings were transformed into the blight of a plague.

Beauty, in truth, is more than skin deep.  All beauty comes from the Lord.

So, what do you and I expect?  Do we expect the anger and wrath of the Lord to manifest itself?  That was the thought of John the Baptist.  And it was that thought that caused John, while languishing in prison, to question Jesus as the Messiah.  Read from Luke chapter seven:

The disciples of John the Baptist told John about everything Jesus was doing. So John called for two of his disciples, and he sent them to the Lord to ask him, "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" 

John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'" 

At that very time, he cured many people of their various diseases, and he cast out evil spirits and restored sight to the blind.  Then he told John's disciples, "Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard – the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.  And tell him, 'God blesses those who are not offended by me. '" (Verses 18-23)

Jesus showed them what the Messiah was all about – healing.  The refining fire that John was expecting was being delayed in hopes that many people would turn and be saved – turn and be refined rather than destroyed.

May we be ready to accept the way in which the Lord works among us – whatever that way may be.  It’s all about transformed expectations.

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out