It's Sunday morning.
I get here very early- the church is empty. It's going to be get very crowded and noisy here in about two hours, but right now, it's very quiet. I like being here early to prepare, to pray, to go through my sermon a few times, and just to be here in case anything goes wrong like a toilet overflowing or a heating element that goes out- those typically happen most often on Sunday mornings.
As I was sitting in my office, praying, I realized that most of us don't think God is all that great.
How many of us are going to skip church this morning, not because we hate God or don't believe in Him, but because we aren't anticipating a huge move or a huge encounter with Him this morning?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us will come to church anticipating seeing friends and family, anticipating a good sermon, anticipating good worship, but not anticipating an encounter with the God of the universe?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us ministers have prepared sermons but aren't expecting a huge move of the Holy Spirit? How many of us have prepared Biblically-accurate but power-absent sermons, relegating the sermon to mere information instead of preaching radical transformation . . . . . . because we don't think God is powerful enough or present enough to really do anything significant?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us spent last night preparing to encounter God? How many of us will not even think about God until we roll into the church parking lot ten minutes late? Would we meet with a famous athlete that way? Would we meet with a great leader that way? Many of us are more on-time to a Black Friday sale than we are to church.
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us go to our places of worship on Sunday morning expecting to hear life-changing words, expecting to connect personally and intimately with God, expecting people to be healed, expecting to be challenged, expecting a closeness with our church community, and expecting the supernatural?
Maybe there are a few. I might be one of them. Some Sundays, I might not be.
I've just realized that I don't think God is all that great.
Oh sure, I believe in Him. I even love Him dearly. I would even go so far as to say that He is everything to me, He's my hero, He's everything I would want to be in life, He's everything good and perfect and pure and holy. I can say that without lying.
But do I think He is great? Do I think He's powerful?
Yes.
But am I expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning?
No. Oh, how low my expectations of God are.
I'm glad the Holy Spirit woke me up to this problem this morning. I'm glad He motivated me to share it with you.
Because now I'm expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning as I meet with my beloved and awesome church family. My words to all Christians everywhere this Sunday morning- expect the miraculous. God is bigger and greater and more powerful than we could ever imagine. Don't make the mistake of having low expectations of God.
Have a blessed and miraculous Sunday morning.
I get here very early- the church is empty. It's going to be get very crowded and noisy here in about two hours, but right now, it's very quiet. I like being here early to prepare, to pray, to go through my sermon a few times, and just to be here in case anything goes wrong like a toilet overflowing or a heating element that goes out- those typically happen most often on Sunday mornings.
As I was sitting in my office, praying, I realized that most of us don't think God is all that great.
How many of us are going to skip church this morning, not because we hate God or don't believe in Him, but because we aren't anticipating a huge move or a huge encounter with Him this morning?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us will come to church anticipating seeing friends and family, anticipating a good sermon, anticipating good worship, but not anticipating an encounter with the God of the universe?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us ministers have prepared sermons but aren't expecting a huge move of the Holy Spirit? How many of us have prepared Biblically-accurate but power-absent sermons, relegating the sermon to mere information instead of preaching radical transformation . . . . . . because we don't think God is powerful enough or present enough to really do anything significant?
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us spent last night preparing to encounter God? How many of us will not even think about God until we roll into the church parking lot ten minutes late? Would we meet with a famous athlete that way? Would we meet with a great leader that way? Many of us are more on-time to a Black Friday sale than we are to church.
Oh, how low our expectations of God are.
How many of us go to our places of worship on Sunday morning expecting to hear life-changing words, expecting to connect personally and intimately with God, expecting people to be healed, expecting to be challenged, expecting a closeness with our church community, and expecting the supernatural?
Maybe there are a few. I might be one of them. Some Sundays, I might not be.
I've just realized that I don't think God is all that great.
Oh sure, I believe in Him. I even love Him dearly. I would even go so far as to say that He is everything to me, He's my hero, He's everything I would want to be in life, He's everything good and perfect and pure and holy. I can say that without lying.
But do I think He is great? Do I think He's powerful?
Yes.
But am I expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning?
No. Oh, how low my expectations of God are.
I'm glad the Holy Spirit woke me up to this problem this morning. I'm glad He motivated me to share it with you.
Because now I'm expecting something miraculous this Sunday morning as I meet with my beloved and awesome church family. My words to all Christians everywhere this Sunday morning- expect the miraculous. God is bigger and greater and more powerful than we could ever imagine. Don't make the mistake of having low expectations of God.
Have a blessed and miraculous Sunday morning.
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