Expect the Unexpected - Day 153 Month 6-2 Week 22-6
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Joshua 12, Psalm 119:161-176, Jeremiah 33, John 18:1-24
Expect the Unexpected
“I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.” This is the prophecy from Jeremiah where God declares this about Jesus. It’s easy to understand why the religious leaders were expecting Jesus in a different form. If someone is going to execute justice and righteousness, you would expect someone who comes in with might and power as opposed to one with love and humility. In fact, Jesus’ life, sacrificial death and resurrection established God’s perfect justice and righteousness. Jesus was born in the lineage of David in humble means but was the righteous Branch of David. This was not at all what the religious leaders expected. This is why we need to be open to God doing things different than we expect.
Many prophecies seem plain on how they will come about yet God’s ways of fulfilling those prophecies are often not how they are assumed should be fulfilled. I grew up attending a conservative evangelical church. Prophecy was a huge thing in the 1980’s and I remember the prophetic speakers; one after another warned that Jesus was coming soon and that there would be a rapture of the saints followed by a 7 year tribulation. The entire “Left Behind” series of movies were based on the concept of this. I was sure that’s what God would do. I’m not so certain anymore. It is possible that there will be a rapture followed by a 7 year tribulation but may be different than we expect. The other day we talked about God’s character being unchanging in that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So why should we count on what appears to be the fulfilment of prophecy now? Don’t get me wrong. All biblical prophecy will be fulfilled but prophecy, though it gives us a glimpse of the future, will not necessarily be how we expect it.
This is true of everything in our everyday lives too. When we pray and ask God to fulfill our needs, we need to be open to how He will do it. We know He will fulfill them but we need to expect the unexpected. I had explained how I was concerned about my truck passing the 2 year inspection and had assumed God would provide another vehicle. He showed me how to get the vehicle repaired and inspected instead. Last year, when I needed a new riding lawnmower for our large property, I was searching the used online marketplace for a zero turn mower or larger lawn tractor. In fact we had settled on a used lawn tractor and went to look at it. When we arrived, the person could not get the mower to start even though he’d been running it that morning. Eventually, God provided the funds we needed to purchase a new zero turn mower. God provides in ways that are often unexpected.
So let’s avoid determining how God is going to do things and let’s remember who God is, look at what He does, and see how it relates to prophecies we are aware of. Let’s quit praying for God’s provisions and planning on Him providing in any specific way. Let’s get into the raft and see where the river leads. Think about how much more fun it is to be surprised by God’s answers than to know exactly what He’ll do and when.
Have a great day!
Steve
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