Surprise!

Surprises: some are very, very good, and some are definitely not pleasant. When someone sends us a card or calls just to say hello for no particular reason, we are pleasantly surprised. It brightens our day and puts a smile on our face. For a woman, receiving flowers on special occasions like Valentine's Day or a birthday or anniversary is wonderful, but receiving them "just because" is a surprise that warms us deep down inside.

Not all the surprises of life are quite so welcome. When the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, or an appliance goes out, we are surprised in a very negative way. Even the pleasant surprises can cause us stress at times. Surprises make us suddenly realize that we cannot know or control everything in our lives, and most of us want to have at least an illusion that we have a measure of control over life.

I think that's why earthquakes are so unsettling (no pun intended); they happen without warning, surprising us sometimes out of a deep sleep, and they let us know in no uncertain terms that we have no control over anything around us. We have gone through a number of earthquakes, both fairly large and relatively small, and there is nothing quite so disturbing as seeing the road in front of your car start going up and down or the walls around you bending and flexing. What seemed so solid and unmovable a moment ago now is almost fluid. I remember one quake that occurred about 4:30 a.m.; one moment I was sound asleep, the next I was standing up next to the bed. I do not remember getting up at all; it was more like I was catapulted from the bed at the first movement of the earth. That was definitely not a pleasant surprise to wake up to!

Earthquakes have a way of changing our perspective in a moment. If even the "solid" earth beneath our feet can shift without warning, we quickly realize there is very little that is solid and stable in our lives. You can choose to move somewhere that earthquakes are rare, but that is simply trading one uncertainty for another; where there are no earthquakes, usually hurricanes or tornadoes or other natural disasters are common threats.

Where can we turn when life seems so uncertain and threats are all around us? The psalmist David knew something about living with uncertainty and threats. Even though he had served the first king of Israel, Saul, and been completely loyal to him, Saul decided that David was a threat to his throne and began chasing him down to kill him. David had to run for his life to avoid being killed. Instead of being afraid, however, David put his trust in God; here is what he had to say in Psalm 91:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,  nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation." 

David discovered that even when the world around him was falling apart and his life was threatened, God was there to help him. He had something, really someone, absolute and solid he could rely upon. This was not a theoretical exercise for David; his life was literally threatened, and he faced battles where many were falling all around him, yet he trusted God to take care of him. When things are going well in my life, it's easy for me to forget how unstable everything around me can become in an instant and to feel like I am in control. The reality is that I can be surprised at any time, not just by an earthquake but by sickness, loss, or other difficulties. Following God does not mean I will never have those unpleasant surprises, but it means I have someone more solid and stable than even the earth itself to support me in the midst of them.

Are you facing a difficult situation that you would like to know God will help you face? We would be honored to pray for you about it. Send us your prayer request at prayer@g3-rains.com, or fill out the contact form on our Contact page. Your prayer request, as well as your comments, will be kept confidential, and you will not be added to any mailing lists.

February 17, 2008