Anticipate unanticipated things from the Lord God!

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Genesis 50:20. NIV

God is fully capable of bringing unexpected outcomes from expected actions. You can always expect the unexpected in the hands of God. Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him. However, God used their evil intentions and actions to produce a surprising accomplishment.

We expect quiet and undisturbed lives, don’t we?  Yet, God has unexpected plans and achievements in store for those who trust Him and called according to His purposes.

Bible-the Old Testament and New Testament are full of examples to prove today’s insight. People typically want to continue their life without shocks and shakings. They expect such undisturbed lives are the result of God-centeredness. However, the truth is far from this conception. The Lord always shocks and shakes his people to mold them in order to accomplish His plans.

Jacob never anticipated what is in store when he was running away from Paddan Aram to Laban’s house. However, God already planned to build the nation Israel out of his twelve children- the twelve tribes of Israel. Judah never expected he would be the chosen tribe through which the Messiah/Savior of the world would come. His life history and character were not impressive when compared to Joseph as we read the book of Genesis in the Bible.

Although God promised a son to Abraham, he never thought Sarah and he would need to wait to pass the childbearing age, for the promise to be fulfilled. He was 100 and she was 99. On a side note, Abraham had already developed a pretty good dad-son relationship with the thirteen-year-old teenager- Ishmael. (Genesis 17:18 &25). Now the hope was rekindled again (17:19-22) and then God asked to sacrifice the promised son –Issac (Genesis 22:2). Abraham, the father of the faith, was a living example of the expected-unexpected norm of life.

If so, why should you think you should not have any shaking and shocks in your faith life?

Now, who thought Samson, a different type of man with severe weakness, would accomplish God’s plan and purpose for the nation Israel? Who-ever fathomed Jesus would be born on the genealogy of Ruth, a Moabite? Who thought the eternal Son of God –Jesus Christ -would be born in a remote village to a countryside virgin who is nobody in those days and that even in a box in a stable (manger) from which cattle or horses ate?

Who would ever choose uneducated poor fishermen to become disciples except for the Son of God – Jesus Christ? Who would entrust them with the great commission to take the Gospel to the whole world? (Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:7-8). Yet those twelve poor disciples turned the history upside down with the power of the Holy Spirit (after the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, as Jesus promised). When they witnessed the risen Christ along with the power of the Holy Spirit the ordinary poor men became unusually mighty witnesses of the Lord. They were ready to lose their life for the sake of the truth of the resurrected Jesus Christ.

Beloved, you can anticipate unanticipated things from our Lord. Indeed, if no unexpected stuff happens in your life, it should raise some questions about the genuineness of your faith life. Down through the history of Christianity, this was always been true. God used unexpected people to represent Him to carry his message to the world, didn’t He? Bible says in Psalm 113:4-9, “The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD!”

You see, conducting a life by faith in God would certainly expect the unexpected, anticipate paradoxes, and ready for surprises. Trusting in a miraculous God and living here on this planet earth now is filled with different types of adventures. Faith life is not meant for faint-hearted, doubtful, and suspicious people. It is for courageous, open, risk taking, and adventure. It is not a boring life. It is a life of expectancy-expecting new things.  God always does wonderful and miraculous things, and he would make you ready for such things (the least expected) as you grow in the Lord.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I thank you because I can find meaning, hope, full and abundant life in your Son Jesus Christ who came, died, and rose again for my sins. I know no one is out of hope and blessings if they come to Jesus, the savior of the world.  Lord Jesus, come to my life and turn my life for your glory. You are the Lord. I am not. You are the master. I am not. As you make and mold me according to your plans and purposes, may I always be clay in your hands? What a wonder to live and serve you! I praise and worship you. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”