JOURNAL=4-14-15=THE GOD OF SURPRISES

JOURNAL=4-14-15=THE GOD OF SURPRISES (Jesus said:) “The wind BLOWS where it wills-and you can HEAR the sound that it makes-but you do NOT KNOW where it comes from-or where it goes-so it is with everyone who is BORN of the SPIRIT” John 3:8 Do you like surprises-I LIKE SURPRISE birthday parties-I like it WHEN my life takes UNEXPECTED turns in a positive way-NOT so much in a NEGATIVE in a way BUY I have found being a person of FAITH and a person BORN of the SPIRIT-that more often than not-my life has been going in a POSITIVE DIRECTION-and when it does not-I am more PREPARED to face the unexpected turns that life sometimes takes And this is the POINT of Jesus in the above quote-FAITH includes being READY for the directions that our lives may take-directions that we might not choose for ourselves Dear Lord-we PRAY that we REMAIN OPEN to be led by your SPIRIT in our lives it is A GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in GOD'S LOVE for us-and a great day to REMAIN OPEN to the LORD'S DIRECTION for our lives THE GOD OF SURPRISES Have you ever traced Your family tree Either by yourself Or maybe through someone LIKE Ancestry.com You may have found A tragic accidental death You may have found Women or men WITHIN your own family WITH RELIGIOUS vocations You may have found someone Who was ADOPTED Or someone Who adopted someone Whatever you found I am sure You found some SURPRISES And SURPRISES Or twists and turns WERE part of Jesus' genealogy As well (You can read about the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1:1-17 and in Luke; Jesus' FAMILY too contains many interesting characters). There are MANY surprising people With UNEXPECTED hardships, scandal As well as great generosity And FAITH In ALL of our families God's promises As well As the promises of our own life ARE FULFILLED In ways That we never expected Or through people We never would have guessed MAYBE We married The type of person That we thought We never Would have expected to In a million years OUR GOD is full of surprises WHO would have guessed That a nomadic preacher ROAMING through the wilderness And from town to town Would turn out to be The Messiah THE SON OF GOD No one OR he would not have wound up ALL ALONE Dying on a wooden cross At the end of his life And WHO would have guessed That he would PROVE it BY RISING from the dead Three days later-certainly NOT his apostles THE GOD OF SURPRISES And who would Have guessed He (Jesus) would First appear to a woman-Mary Magdalene Certainly not her-certainly not us THE GOD OF SURPRISES Who would have guessed Abraham would wind up Being the FATHER of many nations And the FOUNDER of the Jewish Nation Certainly not Abraham Certainly not Sarah-his wife Who didn't give birth to Isaac UNTIL she was in her 90's The God Of Surprises OUR GOD IS And who would have guessed Moses-a stutterer and a murderer Would LEAD his people Out of slavery And out of Egypt ALMOST to the PROMISED LAND The BIBLE goes on and on With surprises and examples Of the people that God USED Who is God USING TODAY Maybe you Maybe me Maybe ALL of us Well Like the SURPRISES Within our own life And in our own family WE WILL Have to tune in today and tomorrow To see who GOD is using THE GOD OF SURPRISES Robert P. Wallman 12-17-13 4-14-15