When we lived in West Virginia and our children were young, we would occasionally visit the fish hatchery in Whith Sulphur Springs. As we walked along the ponds, we would sometimes pretend that we were feeding the fish. With a swing of our arm, as if we were throwing fish-food pellets into the water, hundreds of fish would rush to the surface expecting to be fed. They were expecting food, because they had seen the arm of the hatchery attendant swing out many times before, and it always brought them something good.
If a fish can learn to expect good things when they see the motion of an arm, shouldn’t we as God’s people expect good things when we see God move in our life? God has been so good to us. He has saved us from sin, placed us as sons in His family, given us His righteousness, and promised us a home in Heaven. He has given us strength, protection, wisdom, and daily provisions. He has calmed our hearts, answered our prayers, and directed our lives. He has promised never to leave us and always to love us. Then things begin to happen in our life which puzzle us. We see the action of God’s arm, but we do not know what he is doing. We begin to doubt, fear, and even question God. Rather than expecting good things from God and running to Him, we expect bad things and run from Him.
In Psalm 81, the Lord reminded Israel of His goodness to them in the past. He had taken them out of Egypt and removed them from the burden of slavery (v. 6,7,10). Then He told them to open their mouth wide and He would fill it (v. 10). They had seen Him act in the past, now they should trust Him for the present and the future. He was ready to bless them, they just needed to expect it and open their mouth wide. But Israel refused to hearken to God’s voice (v. 11), therefore God allowed them to follow their own desires and walk after their own counsels (v. 12). Because they would not obey the Lord and trust Him, they missed out on victories and provisions (v. 13-16).
We should trust in the Lord and follow Him even when circumstances do not look favorable (Proverbs 3:5,6). He has promised that He is for us and not against us and will work all things together for good to them that love Him (Romans 8:28,31). When God begins to work in our life, let’s open our mouth wide, expecting good thinigs from Him. He has promised, “I will fill it.”
– Pastor Earl