I have noticed that God always answers my prayers in unexpected ways. I believe that God must like to surprise me. I have noticed that God seems to surprise everyone to some degree. Even the Disciples were often surprised by how Jesus worked in their lives. I think Peter was surprised numerous times. Jesus had Peter pay temple taxes after getting a coin out of a fish’s mouth in Matt 17:24-27. I can imagine that Peter was surprised when Jesus told him in Matthew 16:18-19 that he would be known by the name Peter which means rock, and that he would be given the keys to Heaven. In Acts 12:4-16, Peter is surprised in prison by an Angel who comes to help him escape. Peter is so surprised that the Angel came to help him escape, that he thinks he is having a vision. In verse 16 the KJV uses the word astonished to describe Peter’s friends.
God Delivers His People
God wants to deliver His people and sends Jeremiah with a prophecy in Jeremiah 51:41 “How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!” Surprise, the downfall of Babylon did happen around 539 BC. I would have been especially surprised if I had seen the parting of the Red Sea miracle that God performed through Moses. I can imagine I would have been speechless watching God deliver the Israelites from the Pharoh in Exodus 14.
God Can Use Anyone for His Purpose
We are often surprised by the testimony of some people and how God called them to serve Him. God purposely uses unlikely people and it is explained why in 1 Cor 1:26-28 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring nought things that are:” I think God surprise us on purpose so that we pay attention and know that He is moving in our lives. Could miracles be just one of God’s many ways of surprising us with the reality of His love for us?
We Will Be Surprised
We can’t imagine what God can and will do for those of us who love Him. We are promised a surprise in 1 Cor 2:9 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” I am looking forward to this surprise! I hope you are too.
Lord Show us Your Face
Lord God Almighty, sanctify us in Your holiness through Christ Jesus. Father if You like to surprise us, then surprise me today with Your presence and any blessing You want to give those I am praying for and for me also. I love it when You surprise me! Help me know You better and worship You with a greater love each day. Reveal something about You and Your attributes that I do not fully understand. Help me understand and communicate in love what You reveal about Yourself so that not only will I be blessed by Your surprise, but those I love will also be blessed by You too. Glorify Yourself today through Christ Jesus and help us walk in step with Jesus so we may glorify You through our Savior. Please show us Your face Lord God Almighty. Amen.