Surprises

          I probably have had just a few surprises in my life. That is something where the completely unexpected takes place. Most of my surprises have been accidents that have taken place. I obviously wasn't expecting them to happen such as jabbing my big toe with a three pronged pitch fork while trying to move some straw from on place to another. My foot was under some straw in front of me and I thrust the pitch fork in only to hit my big toe with one of the prongs. It went through the leather of my shoe and stuck in my toe. Now, that was a surprise. Most of the good things in my life had been told to me before they happened. One pleasant surprise that took place was when my band director wanted me to play the bassoon. I didn't know what one was and since it was a double reed, I thought it must be the oboe. That was a surprise when the band director came out with a case big enough to store three oboes. I guess a surprise is something that you don't expect to happen but does and there can be pleasant and unpleasant surprises. One thing for sure, God is never surprised by any thing that takes place. Genesis 3:15 says, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." 

        God knew what was going to happen and the plan had already been put in place long before it was needed. There was no surprise to God when the events unfolded in the Garden of Eden. Since the fall of man took place, there needed to be a plan of redemption and God had already put the wheels in motion so to speak. Those wheels were centered on the Messiah and everything that would be needed to bring the plan to fruition. God promised in the above passage to bring forth a Messiah that was going to conquer Satan. As the plan unfolded in the Old Testament, we notice the various feasts and sacrifices of God's Chosen People. The plan was going to include a lot of blood sacrifices and a system that would eventually make the payment for the sin of all mankind. Of all the animals, God chose to use sheep and to make specific instructions on what type of sheep could be used. It had to be perfect, that is, without blemish and not one that was of no value or one that was sickly. Over time, many sheep were used to make a yearly atonement for sin but the plan was steadily marching to the final Lamb. John the Baptist made the announcement in John 1:29, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."  Then, there was the final three years before the sacrifice was complete on Calvary. God wasn't surprised on the events of the garden and He isn't surprised by the events today. He is not surprised by world pandemics and He is not surprised by icy roads on your morning commute. Large or small, God is never surprised or caught unaware of what is taking place in the world from the greatest of events to the smallest of things in your life and mine. You might be surprised when you walk into a room with decorations or when someone hands you a special gift, but remember that God is never surprised. Praise God today for providing in every situation in every time and in every place.