God’s Greatest Surprises
James 1:2-4 NLT & Selected Scriptures (c) 2008 Don Detrick
MAIN THOUGHT: God sometimes surprises us by concealing miraculous opportunities in unlikely people, unexpected places and unfavorable circumstances.
A beautifully wrapped gift, carefully tied with a ribbon and bow, symbolizes this season of the year for many. But you can’t always tell a gift by its package. I’ve received some beautifully wrapped gifts in my day and many of them turned out to be duds. On the other hand, some of the most wonderful and enduring gifts I’ve ever received didn’t come beautifully packaged.
If you’ve read the Purpose Driven Life, you’re familiar with the phrase, “transformed by trouble.” Sometimes God’s greatest surprises are opportunities He carefully conceals behind a façade of trouble. James wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” (James 1:2-4 NLT)
Someone once paraphrased this passage by saying, “We miss great opportunities because they often come cleverly disguised as problems.” Perhaps a more generalized anecdote would be this rendition: “We miss great opportunities because they often come cleverly disguised.”
The truth is, opportunities are often missed not because they appear to be problems, but because they appear to be ordinary. Sometimes we miss opportunities because they swiftly and unexpectedly appear in unforeseen places so we aren’t prepared to seize the moment. And at still other times we throw away opportunities because we fail to recognize the potential value in them.
Aunt Eddie Ogan, is a 70-something lady from Colville who has given so much to missions and penned the story, “The Rich Family In Our Church.” In a letter a few years ago she wrote:
By now you all know the Yankees went to the World Series and lost. Because I loved Babe Ruth so much as I was growing up, I always want the Yankees to win. When I was growing up in the 30’s and 40’s you got baseball cards in your bubble gum. I wanted the Babe Ruth cards. Girls never saved them, but everyone knew I was a tomboy so when girls didn’t want their cards, I’d take them. Then I’d trade with the boys, several cards I didn’t want for one Babe Ruth. That was all I wanted, Babe Ruth cards. I always kept them clean and neat. They were my prized possession. When I went to work for the telephone company at age 18, I really started to collect, even buying some.
In 1952 I got married. I knew I was too old to be collecting baseball cards, but I kept my 64 Babe Ruth cards. I never told people about them, because I was embarrassed to be a married woman who had a collection of Babe Ruth cards. At the end of November 1953, my husband was returning from 20 months in the service so I was cleaning out the bedroom at home where I had been living with my parents. My stepfather had the burn barrel going and I burned a lot of old stuff. I was ready to leave for my new apartment with my husband. The only thing left was my precious box of Babe Ruth cards. I opened the box and looked at each card one last time. Then I straightened my shoulders and walked out to the burn barrel and threw in the box. I was ready to enter my new life as a full-fledged adult.
A few years ago when one of our foster sons collected baseball cards, I was surprised to learn from a Beckett book what vintage baseball cards were worth. I almost had a heart attack when I read the current value of the Babe Ruth cards I had burned in that burn barrel. I thought about what I could have done for missions with all that money and decided the best thing to do was just try to forget!
We’d all love to be able to find a knickknack on a shelf at home that turned out to be worth a million dollars. The Antiques Roadshow is a very popular television show for the simple reason that we are amazed to see ordinary people bring in trinkets or family heirlooms and discover they are worth a fortune. We may have overlooked a vast resource of potential treasure in our own closet, attic, garage or backyard because it wasn’t packaged in a conventional way.
We often judge by outward appearance, and our judgment is superficial. The Bible says, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV) You would be surprised if you could see the heart of every person and really get to the heart of every matter. Let’s take a look at a few of the ways God surprises us.
1. God surprises us by using unlikely people to fulfill His purposes.
It takes so little to be above average. A study showed that the average American spends $240 a month eating out at fast food restaurants. The same study showed an average American spends only $5 a month helping the needy.[1] If you give more than $5 a month to missions or some outreach to help others, you are above average. Yet we often think of ourselves as unlikely candidates to accomplish great things. The Bible record tells us otherwise.
It shouldn’t surprise us that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things and unlikely people to fulfill His purposes. For example:
· God used a farmer with no maritime experience to build the greatest floating vessel ever constructed and lead a voyage to save the human race. (Noah – Hebrews 11:7)
· God used childless senior citizens, who were too old to qualify for life insurance policies at any price, to bring forth a baby boy named Isaac, who would be a patriarch of God’s chosen people. (Abraham and Sarah – Hebrews 11:8-12)
· God used a man with a speech impediment to be His spokesman and debate the undisputed leader of the most powerful nation on earth at the time. (Moses – Exodus 4:10)
· God used a young shepherd boy with no military experience to defeat the greatest military giant Israel had ever faced. (David and Goliath – 1 Samuel 17)
· And God used a poor young girl from an obscure village to give birth to His only begotten Son.
In the Roman world at the time of Christ, leaders gave themselves grandiose titles to try and elevate themselves to godlike status. Caesar Augustus ruled the world when Jesus was born. He died August 19, A.D. 14 and a description of his funeral gives some indication of his power and wealth:
On a couch of ivory and gold, with purple and gold coverings, lay a wax image of the emperor in triumphal garb; his body was in a coffin underneath. Senators carried the couch and coffin to the Forum; behind it came other images of him and of his ancestors and relatives. After various eulogies and ceremonies, his body was carried to the Campus Martius and placed on a pyre. Around it marched all the Roman priests; then came all the equestrians, with cavalry and the Praetorian Guard, throwing on the pyre their own military decorations. Centurions lighted the pyre with torches, and as the corpse and wax image were consumed an eagle flew upward from the pyre to carry the emperor’s soul to heaven. The senator Numerius Atticus took oath that he had seen the emperor ascending to heaven, for which the emperor’s widow, Livia, paid him a million sesterces.[2]
Here’s my point: As self-appointed “king of the world,” Caesar Augustus would never have considered marrying anyone other than a blueblood royal with a pedigree longer than her name. In fact, his own father (by adoption), Julius Caesar, had made Cleopatra Queen of Egypt. The world expected pomp and circumstance to surround the birth, life and death of a royal figure.
After the death of Julius Caesar, Augustus defeated Brutus and Cassius in a battle at Philippi in 42 B.C. He defeated Antony & Cleopatra in 31 B.C. at the Battle of Actium, thus gaining control of the entire Empire at the age of 35. The Roman Senate changed his name from Octavian to Augustus (literally "Reverend" - an honorary title to indicate his power and dominion).
Now here’s the surprise: the real King of Kings and Lord of Lords was actually born during the reign of Caesar Augustus, but it wasn’t Caesar’s son. And He wasn’t born to a Cleopatra or a Livia.
He was born to Mary, an impoverished peasant girl living in a backwater town. God chose Mary not because of her outward beauty, wealth, or intelligence, but because of the beauty in her heart. The Bible says,
The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.” (Luke 1:28-30 NIV)
Mary’s heart was right with God and she was convinced of God's mighty power. Her faith led her to believe that He was able to do anything. And because of her faith, she was a willing participant in God's plan for eternal salvation. In response to the angel's message (Luke 1:37 NKJV), Mary replied, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38 NKJV)
2. God surprises us by using unexpected places as settings for miraculous events.
We tend to commemorate celebrity appearances and enshrine memorials of their visits. The McKinley Stump in Chehalis, WA is such an example. A Google search on the Internet for “Chehalis McKinley stump,” brought forth this information from the Travelcascadia[3] website: “The McKinley Stump holds claim to the origin of a "stump speech" when President McKinley stood on the historic stump to deliver a speech in 1903.”
Actually, that would have been quite a fete considering the fact that President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, two years earlier. Actually, McKinley had been scheduled to make an appearance in Chehalis and a huge old growth stump was brought into town from the woods to serve as a platform for the occasion. It was so large, they had to widen the road to bring it into town.
And the truth is, it was pretty common for politicians in the old days to stand on a stump while pounding the podium in order to be noticed and get the crowd’s attention. “Stumping” became a term to describe political campaigning way before the 20th century.
After McKinley’s assassination, President Teddy Roosevelt did make an appearance in Chehalis and addressed 10,000 people from the stump in 1903. So why it isn’t called the Roosevelt stump? Probably because McKinley took on larger-than-life status after his assassination, thus in those days “McKinley” sounded a lot more magnificent than “Roosevelt.” Just as we might think “Kennedy” conveys more prestige than “Johnson.”
Whether we like it or not, a sleepy little town like Chehalis isn’t exactly on the map of places you’d be most likely to spot a celebrity. After all, the stump was originally provided for McKinley. Thus, to enhance the popular perception of the day, the residents of Chehalis opted for the more glorious “McKinley stump” than the mundane title, “Roosevelt Stump.”
In the days of Caesar Augustus, Bethlehem wasn’t exactly on the map of places frequented by the rich and famous, either. True, Herod had built a huge fortress nearby, but he and his entourage would never have considered partying in the town.
Bethlehem was known as the “house of bread” – an impoverished community inhabited by shepherds and farmers and working poor. The Old Testament book of Ruth is set in the region of Bethlehem (Ruth 1:1-2,19,22; 2:4; 4:11). Ruth chronicles how Bethlehem became the hometown of David and the place where he was anointed. (1 Sam. 16:1-13; 17:12,15).
One of the most significant Bible prophecies about the birth of Christ concerns Bethlehem. Micah 5:2 (written about 700 B.C.) states that Christ would be born there. "But you, Bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (Micah 5:2 NKJV) The birth of Christ in Bethlehem illustrates the fact that God can use unexpected places as settings for miraculous events.
Jesus did not travel to exotic or metropolitan places to perform miracles. He didn’t live in a gated community surrounded by security guards. He went wherever people were and performed miracles wherever He found people in need. The Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5) was healed near a graveyard way off the beaten path. But He healed blind Bartimaeus as he begged by the roadside (Mark 10:46). Jesus wants to do miracles for us today, wherever we live or wherever we are.
3. God surprises us by using unfavorable circumstances to show forth His mighty power.
An old song says, “If I never had a problem, I’d never know that God could solve them.” Not only does God remind us that our problems are opportunities for a joyful response, but He seems to rejoice in helping us solve our problems. He has lots of experience. The birth of Jesus Christ was fraught with problems. Consider just a few:
· His earthly parents were poor.
· His mother was forced to make a long journey on foot just before His birth.
· Once at their destination, there were inadequate facilities available for lodging, not to mention the birth of a child.
· He was born with the stigma of illegitimacy.
· The regional government threatened the baby’s life.
· The parents were forced to flee to another country to protect the life of the child.
It’s almost as if God was saying, “Surprise! You expect My Son to be born in a palace, surrounded by princes and princesses, but I want Him to be born in a stable – the place where lambs are born.” Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), was born in a stable.
When I did or said something foolish as a youngster, I might be asked, “Were you born in a barn?” How ironic that the One who formed the universe, and breathed into man the breath of life, was willing to come to earth and literally be born in a barn!
The apostle Paul wrote, “I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God's purpose was to show His wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in His church. This was His plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:9-11 NLT)
From our side of history, with a clear understanding of Bible prophecy and Scripture, the birth of Christ makes perfect sense. After all, we know the rest of the story. But what if we were transported back in time? And what if we didn’t know the rest of the story? Wouldn’t it appear that things were totally out of control?
This is an important lesson for us. Unfavorable circumstances can be fertile ground for planting seeds of faith. And those seeds can sprout into a harvest of miracles so glorious that you almost forget the planting process.
Don’t despair, because that is what all of life is: a process. Even when things seem most chaotic, most confusing, and most difficult – God is still working and still in control. He can be trusted, because He has a plan (Romans 8:28). He knows the end from the beginning and the beginning to the end because He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 22:13). God often surprises us by using unfavorable circumstances to display His mighty power. Are you ready for a surprise?
Some Suggestions:
· As you send out or receive Christmas cards next month, pray for the recipient or sender.
· Even if your circumstances right now are difficult, how could God surprise you with a miracle?
· If you have children at home, help them memorize Luke 2:1-14, and encourage them to do so before Christmas.
· Memorize Colossians 4:5, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (NIV)
[1] “Go Figure,” Christianity Today, December 2003, p. 19. Source: University of Rochester, Mobile Register.
[2] Augustus To Constantine by Robert M. Grant. Barnes & Noble, 1996, p. 5.
[3] http://www.travelcascadia.com/chehalis/
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