Expectant Faith
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There are three ways the word faith is used in the New Testament which show us three parts of faith.
The Apostle James, in his letters says faith is when you hold something to be true based on the testimony of God. God tells us something we couldn’t have known on our own and we make the decision to accept what God says as true.
Second, St Paul describes faith as a total personal commitment to Jesus.
Third, Jesus describes faith as an expectation that God will work wonders. And this expectation is what allows those wonders to occur.
In this meditation we focus on the last one – expectant faith.
Faith is an expectation that God will work wonders which allows those wonders to occur.
First - an example of a lack of this type of faith. On one occasion Jesus went back to his hometown of Nazareth. And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. What is amazing is that God is limited in the wonders he can perform by our lack of faith.
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At one point a desperate father brought to the Apostles his son who was possessed by a demon. They were unable to cast it out so he went to Jesus pleading, “Lord, if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately Jesus healed the boy.
The Apostles then asked Jesus why were we not able to cast it out. “Because you have little faith.” Jesus responded. “I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; Nothing would be impossible for you.”
Expectant faith is asking God to do something and knowing He will do it in us if we expect him to and then we act or take the leap of faith.
So, what wonder does God want to perform in your life but cannot because of your lack of faith?
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Expectant faith enables God to work the wonders it expects. Well, how could it be that a lack of our faith could limit what God can do?
When my son Xavier was 3 or 4 we lived in a split level home. As soon as you walked in you could go up the stairs or down. Everyday as I came home from work, he would time it so that he would run and leap from the top step right as I opened the door and I would have to catch him. Miraculously I caught him every time. No matter what I had to drop in the process
Now if Xavier didn’t leap, then he would not have been caught. And if Xavier didn’t expect or trust that I would catch him, he wouldn’t jump and he wouldn’t have been wondrously caught.
If Xavier doesn’t have faith, if he doesn’t trust that I would catch him, he wont jump. And if he doesn’t jump he can’t fly. It is his faith in me that enables him to fly.
The expectant faith that Jesus wants from us is the expectation that God will work the miracle of making us saints. It is the faith that God will heal us of our sin, of our character flaws and make us holy.
But unless we expect it, unless we take the leap and do the things that lead to holiness, then we won’t experience it. Have you made the leap to daily mediation and a resolution; a daily examination of conscience; monthly confession; to doing your duties for the love of God; to accepting all you can’t change and offering it up with cheerfulness; or going out of your comfort zone to lead others to Jesus? Where are you holding bac?
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The parable of the talents is a story of three people: two who expected God to work wonders and one who did not.
The last man, the one who buried his talent did not trust God to work wonders therefore he didn’t take a risk and he gained nothing.
If we had expectant faith in God, we would realize that every risk, every investment in God’s service bears and extravagant return.
Notice though, thee is no one in the parable of the talents who takes a risk and loses his investment. Because that does not happen when you invest in God.
Faith is the confidence in God Our Father that prompts us to take risks for the love of Him and in His service and so enables an incalculable return on any investment we make.
The only one chastised in the parable is the one who does not risk, does not jump, because he does not trust God can work wonders in his life.
Let me be clear – the primary wonder or miracle that God wants to work in every person’s life is to free us from our sin and character flaws and make us a saint. What is the next right step or leap you need to make?
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How can this be true when so often our spiritual risks and investments don’t seem to pay off, when God doesn’t work the marvel we expect?
Go back to the example of Xavier. He had the faith that I would catch him because he knew me, he knew I wanted to catch him and he knew when I would be there.
Xavier had a relationship with me and through that relationship had observed how I operated day after day. This relationship and observation is like a meditation on me which told him the types of marvel he could expect from me. Xavier learned my will from the time he spent with me. Well, what wonders do we know God wants to work for us? Certainly our deeper conversion and holiness and those around us.
So the risk, the investment, the leap that God wants us to take is the relentless pursuit of a relationship with him and our own transformation from vice to virtue and heroic generosity that seeks the conversion of others. No matter how implausible those seem. That is the expectation that will allow God to work wonders.
Who’s conversion and holiness do feel like giving up on – like it’s never going to happen? Your own? A spouse? A son or daughter? That lack of faith will actually inhibit God’s ability to work a wonder in you and for them. Now, don’t let that send you into panic. Just persevere in praying and working toward your own conversion and theirs and by reaching out to others in genuine friendship.
The faith that Jesus wants from us is the relentless expectation that He will give us everything we need in a miraculous and unpredictable way for our own conversion and holiness and that of others.
God cannot catch us unless we jump. God cannot work His wonders unless we expect Him too. Your confidence in God Your Father will enable you to fly.