In the book of Job, Chapter 5 Verse 9, the Bible says, “God performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted ”. The Message Bible translation goes like this, “God is famous for great and unexpected acts; there's no end to his surprises”.
Our God is the God of surprises. The angels were surprised when God brought the universe into existence. They were surprised when they saw the first bird begin to fly and the first man open his eyes. They were surprised when they watched God Himself sew clothes to cover the shame of fallen man and woman.
Our God is the God of surprises. He surprised Abraham with a promise that his children will be countless like the stars of the sky and sand of the beaches. He surprised Sarah with a child when her womb was too old for babies. God surprised Isaac with a wife and Jacob with a dream. He surprised Moses with His presence in the burning bush, which was never consumed. God called this stammerer to be His spokesperson to the people of Israel and the Pharaoh of Egypt.
He surprised the Israelites when they marched with wonder-struck eyes between the walls of the waters of the Red Sea. God sent manna and quail from heaven when they complained of hunger. God brought forth water from a rock when they were thirsty. God led them through the wilderness by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for 40 years.
He surprised Samuel with a voice and Elijah with a whisper. God surprised David first with kingship and surprised him again by pardoning him when his failure was too great for grace. God surprised Solomon with wisdom, Hezekiah with life, and Isaiah with a vision. He surprised an orphan girl called Esther by raising her to rescue the Jews from destruction. God selected a shy and faint-hearted young man called Gideon to lead an army. God brought Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego safely through a fiery furnace. God rescued Daniel from the mouths of lions.
And one day God amazed a teenage virgin with an angelic appearance. The child born to that girl astonished the rabbis with His knowledge of God. He surprised blind men by opening their eyes and demoniacs by casting their demons into swine. He surprised a crippled woman by straightening her back and panicky wedding hosts by turning water into wine. One of the most shocking surprises in all of Scripture was the raising of Lazarus from the dead on the fourth day after burial. It was a surprise when He revealed Himself as the Messiah—carrying a towel and not a sword. He surprised Mary at the tomb, and the two people on the road to Emmaus. He surprised Peter by appearing to him and restoring him back to his love even after he disowned and denied the Lord three times. He surprised a persecutor of Christians called Saul and changed him into the great apostle Paul. But the greatest surprise of all was that God sent his beloved Son into the world to live and die for the sins of mankind, and then He rose from the grave on the third day. Jesus surprised us by conquering death and giving us eternal hope.
Dear brother/ sister, never forget! Our God is the God of surprises. Have you at times “placed God in a box”? Have you ever put limits on what God could do? Are you a person who struggle to understand and come to terms with God’s supreme power, unforeseen favors and deep mysteries? The purpose of Bible stories is not just to tell us what Jesus did - but rather to remind us what Jesus still does: He still moves stones. Those things that are impossible for the human mind to understand and human intelligence, muscle power, or technology to devise are not impossible to God. He is still the God of surprises - the God of the unexpected. I believe He still shows up in our lives to bring about the impossible.
God still surprises! He surprises the faithful, those with little faith, and the unfaithful as well. Therefore, I encourage you, dear brother/ sister, DO NOT give up! Is the road too long? Don’t stop! Is the night too dark? Don’t quit! God is waiting! He will surprise you when you least expect it. Don’t Quit! Being patient can be difficult sometimes. But it is always worth the wait. God bless you all.
