SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
Have you ever been surprised, I mean really surprised, I mean knocked out of your socks, grab a respirator, hey Martha come look at this, surprised? I have, just this past week, and the surprise came special delivery from God!
You see, ever since I've been ministering with my church family here in L'Etete, we've basically been without someone to play the organ, or piano. That's left me to play the guitar. Yep, just me and my guitar have basically been the band in L'Etete. No problem you say, you don't need any instruments to praise the Lord, just a heart focused on Him! You're absolutely right, but a heart's hard to focus when your ears are, shall we say, "unpleasantly distracted." Perhaps you think I'm exaggerating the situation, well maybe I am taking a little artistic licence, but before you jump to that conclusion give me a call and ask me to sing you a song! It shouldn't take more than a couple of bars for you to see that the immensity of the problem I'm describing is nothing short of catastrophic (that is I sound like a cat choking on a fir ball).
So ever since we've been in L'Etete you can guess what's been big on my list as a prayer concern: "Lord please send us someone who can play." This past week He did, not only did he send us someone who can play, He sent us someone who just graduated from a very capable university with her degree in music. And not only is she more than qualified, she's also enthusiastic, and willing to try new things! There you have it, a surprise sent from God -- there's no doubt in my mind. And, what makes it even more of a surprise is that God gave us more than we had hoped for.
You see, we've had several people semi-interested in playing for us, and we've pursued them all like bloodhounds with a mission, but none of them panned out. And, to be honest with you, I think we had our eyes set on less than what God knew we needed. We were praying for a miracle, but looking for a quick fix solution. Well, to make a long story short, when we stopped fussing and started trusting, God sent His surprise!
Points To Ponder
When was the last time you were surprised by God?
If it seems like a long time, go through the following checklist:
Could it be that He has been sending surprises and you've missed them?
-
Could it be that you've given up expecting God to work, to do, to surprise?
Could it be that you've been fussing instead of trusting?
Could it be that there are things that you need to learn before He can surprise you?
Let me explain this point a bit. I firmly believe that the Lord used the time we were lacking musically to help me and the congregation grow. I had never played the guitar during the worship service before coming to L'Etete because I didn't think I was good enough. I soon realized that was prideful. To be afraid to try something for the Lord because you might look silly is pride talking. I was sinful because I was withholding a talent (however small) from God's use. So God put me in a sink or swim situation, and I've learned to swim! That was a surprise in itself! Then when I and the congregation learned to swim, God surprised us again!
Have you thanked Him lately for all of the surprises in your life?
Our God is a God of surprises. He surprised us with life instead of death, grace instead of judgment. His surprises made Abraham smile and Sarah laugh (Genesis 18:12), Ruth and Boaz ancestors to David (Ruth), a young shepherd boy king (1 Sam 16:13), and the eternal Son of God, a helpless little babe (Matthew 1:23). He loves to surprise His people, have faith and He'll surprise you too!
Prayer
Dear Lord. Thank you for your surprises. Thank you for the gift of your Son when we deserved death. Thank you for gift of joy even when we walk through times of trouble and pain. Thank you for the gift of faith when we're not being faithful. Thank you for every touch of love that you've brushed us with, even when we haven't realizing it. Thank you for the surprise of eternal life, given, not earned. That, dear Lord is the greatest surprise of all!
