Expect Surprises

“During His life, Jesus Christ often challenged people’s long-held traditions and beliefs.” Come Follow Me

Even his closest friends and followers found themselves regulary baffled by Jesus’s methods, priorities, and corrections.

Peter was told “Get thee behind me, satan, for thou savorest not the things of God,” when he tried to tell Jesus he shouldn’t have to suffer and give his life.

James and John were told “You know not of what spirit you are” when they wanted punishment on thr people of Samaria who rejected them.

And “you know not what you ask” when they requested a special place of honor in the future Kingdom.

And thankfully, “Don’t tell the children to go away, let them come to me.”

The gospels (written by the disciples themselves) show the disciples bumbling along, making mistakes at almost every turn.

On a larger scale, much of the house of Israel, missed the boat on the Messiah who came to save them.

Paul said it was “because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day.” Acts 13:27  Paul himself had been that way.

If they had known the scriptures, they would have known that the God of the Old Testament was prophesied of, that He would come to flip the tables, to humble the proud, to lift up the poor and oppressed, to change everything.

In our own lives, if we hope to walk the right path, we must expect some life up-ending surprises and regular correction.

We might feel like we are bumbling along, making mistakes at almost every turn.

We will need to expect to make big changes, often gradually. Still, these will be “caterpillar to butterfly” or “tadpole to frog” or “aquatic nymph to mayfly” -type total changes.

We can expect and hope that He will give us time and strength enough to navigate the needed changes. Best to start right away.

The surprises won’t all be unpleasant. We hope He will tip the scales in our favor. He already has, by sending His Son.