Different Than Expected

Jeremiah 23:5-6

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up from David’s descendants, a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

Here we have a prophecy of a mighty king who will arise and overcome the enemies of God’s people, and reign with justice and wisdom. And shall be the Savior of God’s people! Keep in mind, at this time the people of Israel are being overrun and destroyed by a foreign nation. There king has been taken captive and their people scattered and enslaved. This prophecy must have given the people such hope for a mighty King to rise up and defeat their enemies and sit on the throne!

This prophecy refers to, the one and only, JESUS CHRIST! The people expected a king to rise and lead a revolution with sword in hand. Jesus, a carpenter, and a peaceful man, must have been very different than there expectations. Yet in reality, He became not only King in Israel, but King over the whole world! He not only delivered Israel from death and sin, but He became Savior to the Whole World!!!! Different than expectations, but FAR GREATER!!!!!!!

Sometimes, we go through really hard times. Times of depression, anger, hopelessness, fear, doubt and all other kinds of hardships. And we read that, “God will never leave me or forsake me.” But it seems like an eternity sometimes when we wait for God to move and restore us. What we expect and want to happen, is for God to fix things immediately and in the way we think best. But God has a better plan. He will do even greater things than we could imagine.

What God can do, is better than what we can do. We expect God to do something specific according to our desires to fix things, when in reality, if we wait, we will see God do something far better than our expectations. We need to stop trying to fix things ourselves, and let God move in our lives. And when we surrender to God’s plan, by being obedient and faithful, He will not only restore you to your former peace and joy, but He will give you infinitely MORE!!!! We serve a God of MORE! More peace, more joy, more healing, more power and more miracles!!!! So wait on God, and expect MORE! That’s my God!!!!

• Pastor Max Campfield