God constantly breaks down our suppositions in the most glorious ways. In the scriptures God is seen turning the normal social expectations on their heads and doing exactly the opposite of what the people expect. The ministry of Jesus is a paramount example of this reversal trend; at every turn Jesus revolutionizes the social expectations of his audience. He heals on the Sabbath, eats with ‘sinners’ and tax collectors, and ultimately sacrifices himself instead of conquering the world. This model of acting against the expectations of the people seems to be an integral part of the Gospel itself.
Often our expectations of what God can and will do are turned upside down when He presents Himself, too. What we assume God will do, whether it is healing, help with finances, or whatever else, is not always what God decides to accomplish. Instead, ours is the God of the unexpected, the God of miracles, and the God who surprises us with grace. We must be cautious in how we make assumptions about what God is going to do and how he is going to do it; most of the time we get it all wrong.
I was completely surprised by God’s action last Sunday. We had a wonderful time of worship with a great congregation. The Lord has constantly surprised me in how he works through this church to breathe a surprising spirit on this community. There is a fresh wind blowing in the town of Riesel, and I am amazed at how God is acting.
Perhaps you need to be reminded of how God’s love and grace often appear to us unexpectedly. All of us, I think, need get that way from time to time. Maybe you think, like I have before, that you’ve got God all figured out. It may seem that the flame of God has left your heart and home, making faith just a piece of furniture that you sit on from time to time. Let me remind all of us that our God truly is a consuming fire – our comfortable suppositions are most often turned to ash when he acts.