Surprise Us, God!

We used to live on a city lot with a small back yard and an unattached garage by the alley. Each morning we would hurry through the yard to make our way to the garage and on to our destination. I remember one spring morning when Leah (my middle daughter) and I were hustling through the yard a bit late for wherever it was we needed to go that day. Leah was a pretty typical 3-year-old at the time - she was curious and low to the ground.

"Look mommy," Leah called from behind me.
"Not now honey, we’re late."
"But mommy, you’ll want to see this."
"Leah, you can show me later. We’re late now."
"Please, mommy. It will just take a minute. It’s a surprise."

Finally, I reluctantly and a bit nervously (what kind of surprise?) went back to find Leah making her way around the newly exposed dirt in our garden finding the tiniest proof that spring was on the way as she located each sprout on the spring bulbs. She delighted in the change that was happening in her world. She saw what I had missed because she took the time to look.

Leah’s adventure in the garden reminds me that God is at work all around us doing some pretty amazing things in some pretty unexpected places; yet, I am often too busy, too distracted, or too tired to take in God’s surprising presence.

During Lent we are encouraging everyone to participate in a 30-Day Faith Experiment called Surprise Me, God. We have a book by the same title that will be available and many small groups are scheduled to discuss the ways and places that we are surprised by God throughout Lent. The author of the book will be our guest preacher and forum presenter on February 7. It is also the theme of our Wednesday evening services. But more important than all of the activities scheduled we want to invite you to pray each day throughout Lent a simple, three-word prayer.

Pray "Surprise Me, God" and then be open to how God does, indeed, surprise you. Terry Esau, the author of the book and this experiment claims that the reason he created the study was to "stir the pot of his personal suburban faith." He wanted an "adrenalin shot-to-the-heart for the sake of his spiritual resuscitation." I encourage you to set aside your hesitations of how this might work and be part of the experiment. Be open to where God is moving in the midst of the big events and the day-to-day stuff too. Let God’s presence touch your heart.

To me, the biggest surprise of all is that God always shows up; we just don’t bother to notice. Terry Esau encourages us to "keep our eyes open and not let life become a forgettable blur." Let’s do it together.

Surprise us, God!