ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
January 30, 2022
Do you like surprises? A friend of mine responded to that question by saying, “Only if they don’t surprise me.” I’m not the brightest light in the chandelier, but I’m pretty certain that if a surprise doesn’t surprise you then it is not a surprise. In Isaiah 43:19, we read: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” God was about ready to surprise the people, but God first gave them a little warning, enough to create a buzz of expectation. There were no specific details about this new thing, yet people must have leaned forward with anticipation. I remember helping with a surprise party a long time ago. Thinking back on it now, it is interesting how surprised I was at just how wonderful it was. I knew about the surprise and was still unexpectedly caught up in the experience. Whenever it appears as if God is doing a new thing, we shouldn’t assume the surprise has come and gone. Often it is a doorway into a plethora of surprises never before imagined.
You never cease to amaze us, O God, with all the wonderful things you do. We give you thanks and pray our spirt of anticipation never becomes callous and unreceptive! Amen.
