Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared. ~Proverbs 3:25-26
The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. ~Psalm 37:18-19
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. ~Isaiah 40:28-31
God is not surprised! I learned recently just what a comfort that is to know. I believe that everyone on this list knows that Kathy and I were involved with another ministry before coming to the E.P.C. The way that our involvement with that ministry ended was disconcerting to say the least. Kathy reported that during the afternoon, of the day the major upset occurred, while she was praying, she felt the Lord say to her, “I’m not surprised by anything.” That evening, during our final meeting, when we were more surprised than you can imagine, those words came back to her and filled her with an amazing peace. Those words helped us through a very difficult experience. They were a comfort to lean on as we moved forward into our future.
We’ve all suffered through the surprises of life. The sudden death of a loved one or the loss of a job are just a few examples of the hidden surprises we face. Some of us have been diagnosed with health issues that we weren’t expecting and certainly didn’t plan for. Surprises usually get us off our game, disrupt our normal, and force us to look up for His help, guidance and strength.
The surprises that bother us are the negative ones. That’s why we see them as disasters. However, we are the only ones who are surprised. He is not. That’s why He can be our confidence. He saw it coming and He sees what is beyond. We only need to trust Him to walk us through.
Think of standing over a maze with a mouse in it. You can see the entire route, including the reward of food at the end. This maze was designed to train the mouse. Yes, there are dead ends and surprises for the mouse, but they are not a surprise to you. The mouse may be in training to simply learn a maze, but God’s purpose for us is so much greater than that. Remember the winding roads that I spoke of on January 15? He is training us in trust.
It’s when we trust Him, trust that His plans do not fail, trust that this is all for our good, that we can soar like eagles. Because we know that we are being guided by Him.
It would be nice if we could walk through life without the unwelcome, negative surprises. Or, it would be nice if God would give us warning, or better yet, get our okay before disaster strikes. Remember Job? Satan did have to ask for permission and in love, God said “Yes.” Perhaps that’s the hardest thing to accept, that in love, He also says, “Yes,” in our situations. He knows how He has made us and what He has designed us for. He knows how we learn best. He knows how best to demonstrate His glory through us. Surprises are part of that design. Our confidence is in the fact that He is not surprised. He has created us to soar for His glory! Maybe, someday we’ll be allowed to look back over the maze of our lives and just exclaim, “WOW!”
Prayer: Today, Lord, I am giving thanks that nothing surprises you. In fact, everything that happens to me has had to have your approval, either to bless or to test. But even the tests are ultimately blessings, for they bring wisdom and maturity. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Song: “Blessings”
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