“Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.”- Psalm 5:8
“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”- Corrie Ten Boom
I raced up the steps to the Roosevelt Road Station of the North Shore Line in the Chicago Loop, hoping the next scheduled train was the stylish and comfortable Electroliner. There it was, resplendent in its trademark salmon and turquoise color scheme! I waited with anticipation for the doors to open so I could rush to my favorite spot- a single seat opposite the motorman, with an unobstructed view of the tracks ahead (right front window). Along the way, familiar landmarks like the Great Lakes Naval Training Station signaled that the Hennings were getting closer to Milwaukee. In open country, the Electroliner reached speeds of 85-90 mph. And no ride on the Electroliner was complete without a pilgrimage to the dining car for the unsurpassed, beef tenderloin Electroburger!
Anticipation and Electroburgers. An unbeatable combination! Each step of my journey on the Electroliner brought increasing levels of excitement. Ruth Graham observes that anticipation is built into us in her book Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There:
“Our Creator made us to anticipate. The act of anticipation is hardwired into the universe and into us. . . . We must learn to cultivate anticipation.”
Anticipating God’s plans, Ruth adds, means expecting God to show up in our tomorrow and to actively do His work. To step boldly into God’s purpose, we must have hope. We recall what God has done for us in the past so we can move forward with confidence, affirming the words of the psalmist David: “In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (Psalm 5:3).”
The anticipation of God’s plans we prayerfully cultivated prior to our ministry downsizing or vocation loss may seem impossible to resurrect. Yet, our hope can be revitalized, revisioned, and transformed, as Ruth Graham encourages:
“If you just can’t see how God would ever want to affirm you or use your life, let me assure you that God does want to use you. He is a restorer. He is a redeemer. He is a grace giver. That’s who He is, and you are not exempt.”
