Expectations, Disappointments & God’s Comfort
- Ann Abbott
- Jul 23, 2022
- 4 min read
We all have hopes, dreams, expectations for ourselves or those we love. I think it is actually healthy for our sense of well-being, to be hopeful and anticipating good things for the future. As Christians, we probably are (and should be) asking God to give us the ‘right’ plans and dreams, but even so there are and will be ‘set-backs’. They may only be a temporary delay or a ‘detour’; but sometimes they can be much more significant. How do we respond to these situations?
In Luke 24: 13-27, we read about the two men who had known and believed in Jesus, walking to Emmaus on the day of Resurrection, after the tomb where Jesus was buried was found empty. Jesus suddenly appeared and was walking with them, asking them what they were discussing (v. 17). It says they were ‘downcast’, as they told Him what had happened (not yet recognizing Jesus). They even recounted the fact that the women had gone to the tomb and finding it empty had rushed back to tell the others. Jesus’ response to them was essentially a rebuke (v. 25-26) and then He began to remind them of all that Moses and the Prophets had written and instructed them “…concerning himself” (v. 27) This led them to invite Jesus to stay with them, and eat an evening meal together. As Jesus blessed the meal, “their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.” (v. 31)
Jesus’ rebuke to them was that they were “foolish..and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken…” (regarding the need for Jesus to suffer and die for the sins of the world). These men, along with so many others at that time had looked to Jesus to be their Deliverer from the Roman oppression, and to remove the other sorrows of their lives. They had witnessed so many miracles that He had done, it was easy for them to have these expectations, but they had not known what had been prophesied. Expectations not founded on the Word of God. Jesus came to them, explaining what they did not know, filling them with joy.
As Christians in the 21st century, we have the full revelation of God’s Word to us, in the Old and New Testament. But, are we also ignorant of all that is written and prophesied? God has given us much insight and warning about what to expect, even in these troubling times. But, until a few years ago, I was very ignorant about Biblical prophecy and how to understand it, or how it relates to my life currently. I have since learned so much about this area, and the fact that about 27% of the Bible deals with prophetic events. Many of those events have already come to pass, but still there is much yet to happen. In I Chronicles 12:32 we read, “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” (NLT) These men understood what was going on, and “knew the best course for Israel to take.” We need to understand the “times and seasons” we live in as well. Jesus taught His followers about this, read some passages that refer to this: Matthew 24: 3-51, Matthew 25: 1 – 13; Luke 21:7-36. Some of these refer to the Rapture of the Church and ‘appearing of Christ in the air’ (I Thessaonians 4:16-18, Titus 2:13); some refer to the Great Tribulation (the 7 years Tribulation, and the reign of the anti-Christ) and then also to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
There are some very sound and Biblical teachers/pastors who are giving excellent teachings on these topics, and how to understand them. Some website links to these are: www.jackhibbs.com (Jack Hibbs, pastor at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills) ; www.beholdisrael.org (Amir Tsarfati) ; www.olivetreeviews.org (Jan Markell who hosts “Understanding the Times” and has many great speakers on her radio program).
Unless we are aware of and understanding the Scriptures, we too can be unprepared. The Lord has let us know what we need to know (we obviously do not know the “day or the hour” of His appearing), and wants us to have that “blessed hope (of the) glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” Titus 2:13
As the late Ed Hindson said: “Bible prophecy is not meant to scare us, but to prepare us.” God’s comfort to us – His Presence with us and His Word that never fails!
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Dear Lord, May we all diligently search and learn the Scriptures so that we are ready for Your appearing and taking us to be with You forever! ( I Thessalonians 4: 13-18) May we truly be encouraged and encourage others with these words! In Your precious name, Amen.
