Monday 20th July – St. Apollinaris (opt.mem)

BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS

Exodus 14: 5-18

Looking forward to a birthday gift from my best friend and wondering what the long awaited surprise will be. I got dressed to meet her at our favourite park. I had expectations but they were all centred around the two of us, probably eating some extra junk or playing a game and then get my gift. To my surprise, she organised a little party for me and gave me one of the best gifts I have ever received. I was so surprised because I had expected less, having known her all my life.

This is the kind of expectations we often place on God. We seem to know so much about God. Yet in moments of trials we have very little expectations of him that we lose all hope. The Isrealites in today’s first reading (Exodus14:5-18) had very little expectations of God, not believing in the possibility of their deliverance from the Egyptians. They had suddenly forgotten the mighty way with which God brought them out of Egypt. Just like the Isrealites, we also sometimes place our human limitations on God, forgetting that he is a God that makes the impossible possible. We should never allow familiarity to limit our expectation rather that should make us have high expectations since we know what God is capable of doing.

Always remember, as long as we place all trust in Him, God will exceed our expectations. It is time for us to look beyond the present and envision God in his glory and majesty with deep faith that he is above all our situations. He alone can do much more abundantly and exceedingly above our expectations and limitations.
God does not fulfil our expectations, he exceeds them.  –Mark Hart

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I trust you with my life. Please help to never to limit your work in me by my doubt and fears. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH:  YOUCAT 477 – What does it mean to learn from Jesus how to pray?

Learning from Jesus how to pray means entering into his boundless trust, joining in his prayer, and being led by him, step by step, to the Father.

HIDE A TREASURE: “To him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 RSV-CE

Today’s Readings: Exodus 14: 5-18; Exodus 15: 1-6 (Canticle); Matthew 12: 38-42