Love Those Surprises

But as it is written:
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
nor have entered into the heart
of man the things which God
has prepared for those who love Him.
I Corinthians 2:9

We live in a world where it would seem there are few surprises left. Our world has been through so much and most people are so world savvy that it's even hard to surprise someone with a birthday gift. In some years back, maybe you can remember with me, the television program “Gomer Pyle.” He was a bit of a country bumpkin and was so naïve that it was easy to pull something over on him. When he was surprised by something, the funniest thing Gomer would say with a loud, twangy voice was, “SURR-PRAHS...SURR-PRAHS!!

All of us like surprises, when it comes to good or fun things. A surprise isn't always just good things though. A surprise is anything that comes our way that is totally unexpected. That might be a surprise gift, surprise party, medical diagnosis, being tail-ended by another car, etc. As I write, a friend of mine by the name of Linda was walking to work. As she was crossing the street, a car going 30 MPH hit her and sent her flying up on the hood and windshield of the car. In this short amount of time, she has had several surgeries, each one very serious in nature. Linda is one of the sweetest ladies you could ever meet, who loves and serves the Lord faithfully. That morning as she crossed the street, she could never have imagined what was in store for her as she stepped out into the crosswalk, never dreaming that in those moments, her life would be totally changed....sur-prise, sur-prise.

I love the above verse. God has made big preparations for you and me. Just the fact that He would prepare with His own power something special for us is so amazing to me. In this passage, we don't see a list of what those things are but in this case, they must really be something. We see that our major senses are involved in this process of God's working on our behalf.

EYE has not seen: We love things that look nice, are pretty, are pleasant to behold. Whatever God has in store, it's like we've never seen before.
EAR has not heard: Whatever God has in store we've never heard anything like what He has in mind for us.
HEART: We allow a lot of hopes and desires to become a part of our heart's thinking. His goodness to us will be things we could never dream up or imagine.

God's “things” He's prepared, appear to me in this verse to be very personal, hand picked and developed by God just for us individually. I recently saw a man interviewed on television. He is a man who dotes on himself. He owns two or three expensive cars, a boat, jewelry many folks would envy. If he sees someone with an upgrade on any of his items, he goes and purchases something that outdoes that person. This man really cannot be surprised. There's not a gift, possession or party that could surprise this man. All he does for himself puts him in a constant state of the deepest of debt.

However, there are things about God that constantly surprise me when I think about who He is in my life. There is nothing new about these things but I love thinking about them.
+ I am amazed at God's power. From creation and parting the Red Sea to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, we should stand in awe of all God can do and continues to do.

+ I'm also amazed at God's presence. There are people in Scripture who tried in any number of ways to flee God's presence but to no avail. He is everywhere and has every right to be. I am astonished beyond belief that out of the millions and millions of His followers, He can single me out for His own special plan and assignment for my life. God can single me out of all other believers to be loved, instructed and yes, corrected by Him. It's as if I'm His only child even though I know that isn't so.

The list could go on and on as we think of God's attributes but will end the list that is a personal amazement of Him in my life and that's His love. This love is beyond amazement but my personal amazement is that He would send His son Jesus to die for me. I'm not worthy of that and I don't know of anyone who is.

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene.
And wonder how He could love me
A sinner, condemned unclean.
How marvelous
How wonderful
And my song shall ever be.
Oh how marvelous
Oh how wonderful
Is my Savior's love for me.

I love who God is in my life and everything He is in my life. Despite all of His goodness in my life on a regular basis, He is still full of surprises in my life as well. God sends things and people into my life that could only be of Him. You and I, although undeserving of God's goodness, should feel such gratitude toward Him and for Him who is faithful in our lives. I love that there's no imagining all God has in store for us BUT...it is “for those who love Him.” God is still in the process of preparing even more things for us and I can hardly wait to see what else He has in store for my life. It's got to be spectacular.

Thank you Father for Your goodness in my life. Forgive my lack of gratitude and taking Your blessings for granted. Thank you for sending Jesus into my life and for Your Holy Spirit who teaches me the Word and who guides and directs my life. In Jesus' precious name...Amen.