Surprise!

I hate surprise birthday parties. I hate surprise scare attempts, and I hate surprises at the checkout counter that demand I pay more than expected. Surprises are fun on occasion: surprise endings are always exciting, and surprise victories in athletics are always welcome. Surprises are very often a part of life - sometimes planned, or not.

Have you ever thought that God is never surprised? For a true surprise to happen, one has to have no preconceived idea that whatever is about to happen actually will happen. The afore mentioned surprise birthday party is not a surprise when the "surprisee" is aware of the effort (and this is how I prefer my birthday celebrations, just so you know).

Imagine for a second if God was capable of being surprised. That would completely take away from His very nature! If He could be surprised, it would indicate a lack of knowledge and understanding on His part. Psalm 139 indicates God's omniscience, and to ascribe to Him anything less is blasphemy!

Let's make it personal now: God is not surprised with our circumstances. That car accident? That hospital stay? That loss of employment? God never put on His surprised face. Why? Because through those trials, He wants to be glorified. He knew that very struggle was going to be a thorn in your flesh years before you were born. He knows the trial you are in, and unlike us, knows the timing for the end of the trial.

Because God is God, and God is all-knowing, and never is surprised, we must be thankful today. You can be surprised, that's always a little fun (except when it's me) but rest in the fact that God isn't surprised by our actions.