Surprised by Awesome Things

A couple weeks ago before Sunday School, I was talking to a young mother about a serious issue in her life.  She was telling me the details of this issue about which she was trusting the Lord in the midst of pain and doubt.  She made the statement, "I know God answers prayers in awesome ways."

I responded to her, "Yes, we expect Him to do it in the lives of others, but we are often surprised when He does it in our own lives."  With a face of realization, she agreed that this was indeed true.

Why is it that we think the Lord will be quick to do "awesome" things in the lives of those around us, but slow do even mediocre things in our own lives?  I must admit, there have been so many times in my life when I have seen the Lord answer prayer in amazing ways, and I have been not expecting it to the point it has taken me by surprise.  Why do we not believe the Lord do that which He has promised to do?

Actually, it has been this way for a long time.  Jesus told the disciples, speaking of Himself, that the Gentiles "shall scourge Him, and put Him to death: and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken," (Luke 18:33,34).  Then they stood at the empty tomb both amazed and surprised that the Lord had done exactly what He had said He would do.

Instead of being surprised when the Lord does amazing things in our lives, let us choose instead to look to Him for amazing things from the very beginning.  Let us "expect God" as my husband says. Let us "expect God" to look and feel and act in our lives as the very God of the Universe that He is.  And let us remember that ". . . it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure," (Philippians 2:13).

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Luke 12:32