We would be shocked if we could hear the Bible for the first time again. On every page, something unexpected happens. The only reason we are not surprised is that the stories are so familiar to us. Think about some of the unexpected interactions that God has had with his people.
For example, every culture has stories about a creator, but none imagined that God would become part of the creation. That the creator would lower himself and become human is surprising, to say the least.
Not only did he become one of us, but he also came as a baby. A tiny, helpless, baby! If I were God, I would have come as a mighty warrior or a powerful King. God’s action in this case was so unexpected that almost no one noticed his entry into the world.
One might expect him to be born in a prominent place to an important family. That did not happen. Instead, he was born in a barn in Bethlehem!
Surprisingly, Jesus grew up in a town that had a less-than-stellar reputation. It was common for people back then to ask, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Oddly, Jesus did not grow up in an easy place, but a difficult one.
When he gathered his followers, no one would have guessed that he would choose fishermen and common people rather than the intellectuals or the religious elite of his day, but that is what he did. He also befriended the wrong sorts of people. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:11) was a common question.
Everyone believed the saviour would be given a crown of gold and would rule the world. Instead, Jesus took a crown of thorns and a cross.
The best surprise of all, though, came on that Sunday morning when the women went to the tomb and found it empty. No one expected that either.
When one follows God, you never know what might happen next. That is a good thing, though, because that means there is always hope!
“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted” (Job 5:9).
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