Always Expect the Unexpected with Christ!

"Faith looks not at what happens to him but at Him Whom he believes." - Watchman Nee

Have you ever been caught so off guard by something or someone that it made your knees buckle? Has something or something taken you so completely by surprise that it felt as if the breath had been knocked out of you? This usually happens when we have become so engulfed in or accustomed to the "routine" that we were totally oblivious to what was about to happen.

This can happen to us with Jesus Christ, as well. Many times he will show up out of the blue, or when we least expect it. He doesn't do this to scare us, or to pull a prank of some sort. Jesus doesn't operate that way. Anything that he does do has a very definite purpose. Granted, we can't always see or understand what it is at the time, but it definitely is there.

Now, Jesus may not suddenly appear at our front doorstep (although one never really knows), but there are many other ways in which He can come nearer to us. The easiest path to us, however, is through our hearts. This makes good sense because although we can put up barricades in our minds, our hearts are pretty vulnerable.

And who knows our hearts better than Jesus Christ? We can put up a good front or try to hide our emotions, but He can see right through us like a bright, piercing light. Psalm 44:21 and 1 Corinthians 14:25 tell us that there are no secrets from Him. For example, He knows when we are hurting, lost, lonely, worried, happy, serene, and content. In other words, "everything!"

We see can a great example of the "unexpectedness" of Jesus Christ in Matthew 14:22-34. This is the famous passage where Jesus miraculously walks on the water. Up to this point in time, the twelve disciples had seen Jesus do some pretty amazing things. In fact, just a little before he had fed over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish! (Matthew 14:13-18)

Later that evening, heading across the Sea of Galilee for Capernaum, they ran into some pretty rough weather. Though there were some very experienced sailors aboard, the stormy waters had them concerned. Earlier, they had left Jesus back on shore because he wanted to go off and pray alone. They struggled to hold their course all night, and by dawn they were physically spent.

As the disciples battled the storm that night, they surely must have been thinking about Jesus. It's not that unusual in our greatest hour of need that His name is the first that comes to mind (James 1:3). Meanwhile, the roiling sea became angrier with each passing moment, their muscles burned with exhaustion and their hopes began to slip away.

Suddenly, in the gray, early morning light at their lowest, darkest moment, through the stormy mist and waves, a ghostly figure approached them. This terrified them even more! At first, they didn't recognize Jesus, their Master. Why?? Because they weren't expecting Him! Here's the deal. Had they been expecting him in faith they would have recognized him right off the bat.

This happens to many of us when it comes to Jesus Christ. We can become so distracted by a storm in our life that the faith in our hearts is reduced; letting fear take over. But fear can blind us, making it difficult to perceive His presence. Keep in mind, however, that Christ will never leave you hanging out in the wind.

Jesus Christ knows precisely when we need him the most, not when we think he should. True faith is born, grows, and matures in the heart of the believer. There's no room for both fear and faith there. We must always remain faithfully strong in heart, expectation, and anticipation. We may never know when or how Jesus will come to us, but know that He will!

Scripture: Isaiah 43:2; Matthew 8:27; Hebrews 11:1; Romans 10:17; Revelation 14:12

Prayer:  My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Amen   -Luke 1:47-49

Have a blessed Monday!

Hailey