Unexpected God

Have you ever pondered that almost everything God has done, does and will do is unexpected? Now, I am not talking about how creation works, mostly dependable and predictable...well, except the weather (with the exception of places like Seattle where for at least nine months ofthe year you can expect some kind of rain at some time during the day - you're welcome, Seattle. I know you REALLY don't want all those Californians moving up to the NW!!).

But seriously, think about it in the context of Biblical history. People have tried to go about their daily lives from the beginning of time dealing with the expected. When God promised Abraham that he would have a child, do you think Abe realized it would be 25 years. Of course not. He was already 75. He had to have expected this miracle to happen, like, now! But a couple of 75/65 having a baby was not enough of a "God thing." No, it needed to be a couple of 100/90 to be unexpected enough.

Do you think the children of Israel expected 400 years of slavery when they were "saved" to Egypt by Joseph (though prophesied to Abraham in Genesis 15)? What were they thinking when God led them down a dead end canyon with Pharaoh right behind them and the sea in front of them? Even Moses, God's "friend," was confused. God knew how he was going to glorify himself. Dividing the sea, even if it was the Sea of Reeds, and drying it out enough for millions of people to pass through to the other side (not to mention finishing off what was left of Egypt's might by drowning their army) would qualify as unexected.

Fast forward past countless other examples over thousands of years to Jesus' birth. Even though it was prophesied, who really believed that Mary was telling the truth? Seriously? And consider her station; a nobody from nowhere. Couldn't God have chosen better than that? Even those who knew the prophesies and were looking for the Messiah didn't recognize Jesus as the one.

Jesus made a habit out of breaking out all over people's expectations for him. What was expected about a Rabbi who hung out with the rabble. Didn't he understand the rules about being "clean?"

What about us today? It seems that we are still surprised by God doing the unexpected...or probably more difficult...when God chooses NOT to do the expected. If you read this blog, you know that one of my favorite queries is, "What can you do with a God who won't behave?"

What if we could train ourselves to expect God to do the unexpected? What if we lived each difficult situation with an anticipation that God might, at any moment, break through and shock our socks off?

May it be true of me.