Sharing "Journey to the Cross" by Paul David Tripp.
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The story of our redemption is historical proof of God's unstoppable sovereignty.
Surprise is a normal part of life for all of us. We are greeted with mystery again and again. We get caught up short, unprepared for what is coming down the line. The redemptive story confronts us with the fact that God is not like us. He saw our need, he planned how to meet that need, and everything happened just as he planned. In the vast expanse of time, the huge company of people, and the multitude of locations that were the setting for his plan of grace, he was never surprised, never unprepared, and
always in control. Christ’s march to the cross reinforces for us that our rest and hope are not in our knowing, but in his ruling. The God who knows no surprises will surprise us again. But it is okay,
because what we don’t know, he knows; what we can’t control, he controls, and because he does, we can live with mystery and surprise and not be afraid.
May the words below stimulate rest in the middle of surprise.
Surprised again. Quiet conversation erupts into heated debate.
Surprised again. Sickness interrupts well-being.
Surprised again. A loved one is unexpectedly lost.
Surprised again. A long-trusted leader falls.
Surprised again. An unexpected gift alleviates need.
Surprised again. Opportunity’s doors open wide.
Surprised again. A sleepless night plunders rest.
Surprised again. Sudden conflict crushes peace.
Surprised again. An emergency alters the day’s schedule.
Surprised again. Divine provision propels a plan.
Surprised again. Sudden mystery sows confusion.
Surprised again. Grace proves too big to grasp.
It is the story of my life. I am surprised again and again.
Surprised again, reminded again and again, that I am not sovereign. I am surprised again but not afraid. My surprise, my misguided expectation, the mystery I live with, my lack of control, does not mean my world, my life, my present, my future, is out of control. Yes, I will be surprised again and again, but I am not afraid, because You, Lord, are incapable of being surprised.
GOING DEEPER
Reflection Questions
1. Do you like surprises? Why or why not? What emotions do surprises evoke for you?
2. When has life surprised you? When has God surprised you?
3. How can a perspective on God’s sovereignty help you deal with the surprises of life? What are some things you can do to live with joy and hope amid the uncertainties of life?
Read Isaiah 46:5–13, Take courage and comfort in the (ofttimes surprising) sovereignty of God.
Isaiah 46:5-13 New Living Translation
“To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?
Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer. It can’t rescue anyone from trouble.
“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. I will call a swift bird of prey from the east—a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it. Listen to me, you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save Jerusalem and show my glory to Israel."
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