Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Living in the surprise of God

This morning, as we met in our staff meeting,  a question was asked by one of our pastors,


"When has God surprised you?"

I thought about it and my thoughts wandered to all the encounters that I have had in recent days.  They were encounters where I've seen God work.  For me the most surprising encounters are how God works in the lives of people.

A month ago I went to the store to get a few things and a $2.00 item rang up $200.00.  The cashier had to get help.  The manager of the department came to fix it, but clearly something was wrong with her.  I asked, "Are you ok?" and she simply replied, "No." 

I waited as she corrected the mistake and then I asked this stranger, "What's going on?" She began to weep.  Her father was dying.  I listened as she talked about what was happening and then I asked her,  "Can I pray for you?"  She shook her head yes, we prayed and I left.

We live in the surprise of God all the time if we could only see it.   The surprise of encounters with broken people, needy people.  In each of these encounters I'm constantly surprised at how God suddenly shows up to be in the midst of these encounters giving us an opportunity to love them in Jesus name.

A couple weeks ago I was on a flight back from Miami and on my right was a young Muslim man.  He looked like all the photos of terrorists on TV.  I listened as he looked at his phone and mumbled the Koran under his breath.  Not wanting to waste the opportunity to see God work I leaned over, said hello and introduced myself, "Hi, my name is Mike."  He shook my hand, told me his name was Mohammed and that he was from Egypt studying engineering in Dallas.  We talked about Egypt and a few other things and then I told him, "I'm a Christian, what do you think of my Isa (Jesus)?"  He replied that he had some Christian friends and had talked about it with them a bit.

Living in the surprise of God is quite easy.  We simply need to see what's happening around us.  God is waiting to surprise us with encounters, needs, blessings, and so much more.

When has God surprised you?  Are you looking for him as you live your moments?  Do you realize he's in every encounter of one of his children?  

Live with the anticipation that God is about to surprise you with his work in your life, through your life.  He is an amazing God!


When has he surprised you with what he has done?





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