Surprise!!

I love surprising people and I love being surprised, usually. 

I love surprising my wife.  I don’t do it enough, but I love it.  Actually, i think I love torturing my wife before I surprise her.  She hates surprises.  Actually, she hates knowing about surprises and not knowing what the surprise is.  So what do I, the loving husband do?  I get her something and then tell her, but I won’t tell her what it is.  Why?  Because it drives her nuts.  Yes, I have a little bit of a mean streak.  I like to keep her guessing.  I figure the day she knows what I’m going to do is the day our marriage becomes stale.  I doubt she would agree, but whatever. 

I like being surprised as well.  The other day she went shopping and came back with  a surprise for me, a Superman coffee mug.  It’s huge and it has Superman on it, two of my favorite things.  It also says “The Man of Steel” on the inside lip.  I feel manly just writing that! 

 

 

There are some surprises I don’t like though.  For instance.  A while back, probably about a year now, ,my daughter Abby surprised me.  Actually she scared the manliness out of me but since the word “surprise” is less emasculating we’ll go with that.

I was sound asleep when I heard the screams.  I immediately stumbled out of bed and started zombie-walking towards my kids room, you know what I mean, one eye sort of open but everything is blurry and dark, you’re a little disoriented and your balance is off.  As I walked out of the bedroom door and started into the kitchen a demon began to shriek at me from about two feet away and about two feet off the floor.  I, in my manliness, was terrified and began to scream as well, and not in a  “get out of my house foul demon” way.  Eventually I figured out the demon was my two year old little girl.  As I realized this I stopped screaming and started trying to calm her.   She stopped and then really surprised me.  She said, “Daddy, I threw upblahhhhhhh.”  And then proceeded to demonstrate exactly what she had done.  Now I’m wide awake and quickly grabbing her, cupping my hand under her mouth and sprinting for the sink.  SURPRISE!!!!!!!!

This is not a good surprise.  Nope!  I totally agree with comedian Bill Engvall, if alarm clocks came with a built in recording of a kid throwing up no one would ever need to hit the snooze button again.

As much as we get surprised by things, good or bad, God never does.  But we seem to think He does don’t we?  I can’t count the number of times something has happened, usually bad, and I have looked up at heaven and thought, “Where were you on that one?”  The meaning behind it being, “Did that surprise You, did it catch you unaware?”  The obvious answer is, “No”.  We however, don’t think of the obvious answer.  We question God. 

I am not one of those people that believe it is a sin to question God.  I don’t believe it’s a sin to be angry at God.  He gave us emotions, He wired us this way, how can it be sin?  I do believe it is a sin to stay that way because we don’t talk to Him about it.  These things lead to bitterness and uncontrolled anger.  There have been many times I have been angry with God for a perceived slight or injustice, but every time I have gone to Him He has taken my anger and frustration and given me peace and faith.  How?  By confessing my anger or fears too Him He can soften my heart and rebuild the trust and faith I have in Him.  This is true in any relationship.  When you feel hurt or angry with someone the first step is going to that person and telling them.  It allows the other person to tell you their side.  Most times it was a misunderstanding and trust can be restored.  (this is assuming the other person did not mean to harm you, as God never does things to harm you but only for your good this illustration works) 

By realizing that God is never surprised because He knows everything, we can trust that He is in control.  Through God’s Word we learn that all things that happen are working toward our betterment.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.  Romans 8:28  NLT

This verse has been taken out of context and made to mean something it doesn’t for years.  This does not mean God is going to give you a Mercedes nor does it mean that when we sin God will just magically make it all better.  What it does mean is that for all Christ-Followers God is actively using the circumstances in our lives, whether self inflicted or caused by Him, to grow us spiritually and make us a more mature disciple. 

God may surprise us but nothing surprises God.  So when life wakes you up in the middle of the night, relax.  God is still in control and He isn’t caught off guard.  We may not see the big picture, but He does and He is working everything out in our lives for our own good.

Here’s a funny video of a guy getting surprised.

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