Yesterday, a good friend brought up the difference between expectations and expectantcy. Confusing the two has produced much frustration and anger for me over the years.

Many times, I have had expectations of God. If I did “A” and “B”, then God would be obligated to do “C.” I expected Him to come through in a certain way…according to the formula. According to my formula. As you can imagine, that formulaic approach led to many disappointments.

Of course, it’s a very immature, arrogant way to approach life.

If nothing else, God owes me nothing. He’s never obligated to do anything for me. I have not, cannot and will not earn His favor, His blessing, His provision or anything else for that matter. It’s all by grace and grace alone.

The better approach is to throw away any ideas of a formula and pursue God with abandon. Run fast and hard, swim deep in His love and grace. Be expectant that God is loving me now and will love me tomorrow. Be expectant that He is at work in me and around me and is calling me to join Him and know Him and experience Him.

Formulas are narrow and limiting, but a love relationship is wild and passionate. It’s fun and exciting. It’s full of adventure and mystery. Delightful surprises are just ahead. It’s like everyday is December 23rd…just two days until Christmas!

Of course, the way is rarely smooth. Life is hard and painful. It’s unbelievably unpredictable. It’s unfair. (Just ask Naboth…a guy in 1 Kings 21.) But through it all, there’s the promise of God’s presence with us–now while we’re on earth and forever once we step beyond this life. We can be expectant that He is at work and can do things for us, in us and through us that we could never have imagined.

Throw away the formula and let a wild Lover fully love us and lavish us with Himself.