Live Expectantly
“But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”
I Peter 4:7-9
As I was reading this morning I saw these two words in my study bible - live expectantly.
It hit me pretty hard. We should be living as if we expect something. But what is it that we should be expecting?
Before we dive off into that, let’s look at a pair of another words that are somewhat similar, however different.
Life expectancy.
This is the expected term of life for any living thing, or how long something will
live before it dies. I suppose it could also apply to non-living things nowadays.
A dragonfly has one of the shortest life expectancies, dogs live approximately fifteen years, humans around one-hundred and the giant tortoise can live to be one-hundred and fifty years old. Of course, there are several factors that play into lengthening or shortening that life expectancy; environment, behavior and how well the body is taken care of.
Humans can live a long time now, thanks to modern medicine, exercise and proper diet. One hundred years ago, the life expectancy of a human being was twenty-years less.
Life expectancy is the amount of time we can expect to get out of this life, our physical life. But if we were to look at our eternal life expectancy - that could be very different depending on who you ask. A believer, let’s say, will live forever. A non-believer will die physically and go to hell, living forever in torment. It’s a horrible way to go. So maybe we should start living based on where we expect to end up? Just a thought.
So what does “live expectantly” mean?
Living expectantly means to live as if your expecting something. What exactly are we expecting?
While reading in Second Peter, where Peter was writing to Jewish Christians who had been scattered from the church in Jerusalem. They were being persecuted for their faith. Persecuted is a pretty word that more-than-likely meant, or included, execution. So how were they living? In fear? In honor? In joy? How does a person live when they are being persecuted? Were they living, expecting to die? Were they living in a way that was honoring to God, knowing that the may die?
And then I read, live expectantly. Expecting what?
We expect a lot of things in life. We expect not to fail, we expect a smooth ride, we expect to live happily and comfortably. But do we live expectantly? What are we suppose to be expecting?
Enough with it already, let’s get to it. Do we expect to die?
Christians and born again believers should be living expectantly - as if they are going to Heaven. We should live, knowing that we will die. We will all die. There is no miracle
cure for death. It is an absolutely certainty, we can’t avoid it.
And because we know that our physical bodies will expire - we should be living for our eternal life with God in Heaven. We should live expecting to go to Heaven - because, for the believer, we will go to Heaven.
This doesn’t mean that we dread, bemoan or fear death - or that we even rejoice, look forward to it or embrace it - it means to expect it. To live expectantly. We live to expect physical death and to be reunited with God, our heavenly father, in Heaven. And we live like it.
Many people will live unassuming physical lives here on earth. Once their time has ended, a few years will pass, and most will stop talking about them with any frequency.
Heck, if you go on a long enough vacation or move anywhere, the list of long friends, grows shorter. People will forget people. People will move on. It’s life. Well, at least here on earth. As Christian’s we are called to be not confirmed to this world. To separate ourselves. To edify Christ Jesus in all that we do.
This living, for those of us who have taken the label of Christian, should be lived as Christ intends it. We should be living in a way that honors Him, not us. We should be obedient to God, joyfully love Him and love others through this life. This life is not to be wasted. We should be evangelizing, discipline and sharing the Gospel message of Christ Jesus. This is living expectantly.
I expect to go to Heaven because I have given my life to God. I have taken Jesus Christ as my savior. I expect salvation. It seems entitled to say that - but it’s true - I am a saved, a new creature in Jesus. I am going to Heaven. Whether or not you believe in the place I am going - I do and I am.
This is the way I choose to live. Not for this world or the things in it. Not for the money or it’s problem, not for the people and their problems. I will live the way God wants me to live, the way He expects me to live. I will be a good steward of His blessings and gifts. I will serve the church and people of the body of Christ, I will love my neighbor, share the Gospel message, disciple others, minister and love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind and soul. No matter where I am, until I die.
This is how I will live and this is how I will die. I will live, expecting to die and expecting to go to Heaven and to stand face to face with my creator.
How will you live?
Through good and bad we should be living our lives expectantly - living for God our creator and living like Christ.
I will live expectantly because Christ died so that I would have an eternal life - saved by Him, by God’s grace and mercy and through Jesus’s blood on the cross.
I want my life to be an example of the change that only Jesus Christ can make. I couldn’t do it, I proved that for forty-nine years of my life. I want my life to encourage others to turn to Christ. I write, because I want more people to read their bibles and to pray. I want more people to wake up their Christianity and stop making excuses. I want more people to spend more time with God. Because I know it will change their lives and it will change the lives of others around them.
You are living a life right now - are you living it expectantly?
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”
Philippians 1:21-26
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
Hebrews 9:27-28
“What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.”
Ecclesiastes 1:3-4, 11
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.””
Revelation 21:4