Holy Amazement

God...should never surprise you.

While you may not know the specifics of whatever God might do, there is more than enough information, more than enough story, more than enough history to know what God desires to do. There's a whole world of information that points us to His character. It shouldn't come as any surprise, then, when He acts out of the very nature of Himself. 

Still, too many of us are wasting our holy devotion on surprises. Wasting because when God only ever surprises us, we miss out on the relationship. 

This is the stumbling block of so-called faith.

A surprise is not something that's unexpected; it's something that's unpredictable. If you can't predict what God might do in any given situation, what His character would say that He do, then you don't know Him. Plain and simple. This is reflected nowhere more clearly than in our prayer life.

Do you believe when you pray? Do you believe God is willing, or even capable, to respond? 

Most of us pray out of ritual, and nothing more. We pray because we've been told, or perhaps even taught, to pray. We pray because we've come to believe there is value in saying the words to God. But we pray without believing in the God who hears the words.

The God who hears the words tells us He is loving. In fact, His story is full of His loving. If you knew that, then you wouldn't have to be surprised when God answers you. Perhaps, you could simply be loved.

The God who hears the words tells us He is compassionate. In fact, His story is full of His compassion. If you knew that, then you wouldn't have to be surprised. You could instead be cared for.

The God who hears the words tells us He is gracious. In fact, His story is full of His grace. If you knew that, then you wouldn't have to be surprised. You could be humbled.

The God who hears the words tells us He is forgiving. In fact, His story is full of forgiveness. If you knew that, then you wouldn't have to be surprised. You could be forgiven.

The God who hears the words tells us He is safe. In fact, His story is full of His shelter. If you knew that, then you wouldn't have to be surprised. You could be secure.

The list goes on and on. There are countless words for the nature of God, and "unpredictable" isn't one of them. Therefore, God should never surprise us. 

He can humble us. Bless us. Amaze us. Inspire us. Renew us. Strengthen us. Encourage us. He cannot, if we truly know Him, surprise us. That is either a glaring lack of relationship or the symptom of a poor vocabulary.

I have never been happy to be surprised by God, although I have to admit it's happened a time or two. (or ten. thousand.) As I have grown in spiritual maturity, as I have invested myself in knowing Him, the surprises are less and less frequent. But I love it that way. Because now I have a whole host of other, rich, deep experiences that can only come from knowing God. 

And though, to an untrained eye, it might seem not to change so many things, it changes everything. It moves my fickle faith into bold belief. Tomorrow, I'll tell you the difference that makes, both to a world watching and to a heart laid bare.