Surprise
The word for the day is, EXPECTATION. It’s different from anticipation. You anticipate things that are actually on the way. Expectations are more in the category of wishes. They belong to that family of wishes that masquerade as “hopes”. Real hope is simply anticipation. When you expect something, you have absolutely no guarantee that it will show up. But it’s funny, expectations are devious – when they come up short, you feel ripped-off, duped, robbed. And they just stand there and say, “What…?” Then your just left with disappointment. You know what that is. It’s an appointment with a dis. Worse than the dentist.
But I have a secret for out-witting disappointment. Don’t expect anything. Seriously. It’s more than just keeping expectations low. I think we expect things because somewhere down deep we think we’ve earned them. We think we’re entitled to things. We’re not. If you want your rights, here is what you have a right to: death, eternal separation from God, eating bread derived from the sweat of your brow, and the law of diminishing returns (AKA – Sin.). That’s it. Everything else is gravy. We have a hard time with grace though, don’t we? We want to buy it. The problem is, it ceases to exist then.
Jesus was surprised once. Surprises are wonderful things. You have a lot more of them when you don’t expect anything. I think Jesus knew this secret (what doesn’t he know…). We read that “he did not commit himself to them for he knew what was in a man”. He did not expect much of us, and rightly so. But he was astonished when the centurion told him to simply say the word, and his servant would be healed. He explained that as a centurion he had authority, and simply had to speak and his will was done. The centurion deduced that Jesus must have the same ability. He didn’t need Jesus to even come to his house. When the Lord heard this, he said that he hadn’t seen faith like this in all of Israel! He was surprised.
The fact that Jesus could marvel is proof that he is really a man. He really did humble himself and fit himself into our skin – our experience. There were many times when he showed divine knowledge, but there were also times like above when he didn’t know something. He knew only what the Father told him then. The Father wanted him to be surprised too. How amazing is that? God the Father wanted His Son to experience something that He hadn’t. You have to be human to be surprised.
I once read that the definition of meekness is to be surprised at how good you’re treated when anyone says anything bad about you, because they could have said much worse. Keep your expectations chained up. They bark really loud sometimes, but what the Lord has in mind for you is so much better than anything you can dream up. “him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think… ” Expect nothing and life will be a never ending surprise party. Also, be surprised when things you know you have coming to you don't show up.
BJ
But I have a secret for out-witting disappointment. Don’t expect anything. Seriously. It’s more than just keeping expectations low. I think we expect things because somewhere down deep we think we’ve earned them. We think we’re entitled to things. We’re not. If you want your rights, here is what you have a right to: death, eternal separation from God, eating bread derived from the sweat of your brow, and the law of diminishing returns (AKA – Sin.). That’s it. Everything else is gravy. We have a hard time with grace though, don’t we? We want to buy it. The problem is, it ceases to exist then.
Jesus was surprised once. Surprises are wonderful things. You have a lot more of them when you don’t expect anything. I think Jesus knew this secret (what doesn’t he know…). We read that “he did not commit himself to them for he knew what was in a man”. He did not expect much of us, and rightly so. But he was astonished when the centurion told him to simply say the word, and his servant would be healed. He explained that as a centurion he had authority, and simply had to speak and his will was done. The centurion deduced that Jesus must have the same ability. He didn’t need Jesus to even come to his house. When the Lord heard this, he said that he hadn’t seen faith like this in all of Israel! He was surprised.
The fact that Jesus could marvel is proof that he is really a man. He really did humble himself and fit himself into our skin – our experience. There were many times when he showed divine knowledge, but there were also times like above when he didn’t know something. He knew only what the Father told him then. The Father wanted him to be surprised too. How amazing is that? God the Father wanted His Son to experience something that He hadn’t. You have to be human to be surprised.
I once read that the definition of meekness is to be surprised at how good you’re treated when anyone says anything bad about you, because they could have said much worse. Keep your expectations chained up. They bark really loud sometimes, but what the Lord has in mind for you is so much better than anything you can dream up. “him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think… ” Expect nothing and life will be a never ending surprise party. Also, be surprised when things you know you have coming to you don't show up.
BJ
posted by BJ at 3:54 p.m.
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