Expectant Faith

Expectant Faith

There we were, sitting in the deer blind, waiting and waiting. It was my son Brady’s fifteenth birthday weekend, and a generous friend in our church had invited us to his ranch in South Texas to hunt deer. It was the evening hunt, and having gotten up early that morning after a late arrival the night before, all we could think of was sleep. I even dozed off for a few minutes.

The sun was setting, and we thought it would be a fruitless day. We were having father-and-son time, but what we really wanted was to see an eight- or ten-point buck come out in front of us. As our thoughts wandered, there he was. It wasn’t a deer or a hog, but a beautiful Texas bobcat.

Brady took aim, and as I was getting my binoculars up to see it up close, Brady pulled the trigger. My binoculars weren’t in focus, so I had no idea if he hit it or not. When we got out of the blind and went to see if we got anything, we found the beautiful cat knocked down in his tracks.

Life, like hunting, takes patience and faith. At times, all we can do is position ourselves in the right place and wait. As we walk with the Lord, we trust him for the opportunities and the results. Psalm 37:1-11 is a special text for me when I find myself in a season of waiting. Psalm 37:5 speaks of God doing his part after we have positioned ourselves the best we know how. It states, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act” (ESV). Live with such expectant faith that you are ready to take aim when the Lord prepares the way.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.

Psalm 37:5, ESV