Devotional 3-11-16

EXPECTED or UNEXPECTED

 

Every Christmas Eve I enjoy watching the television presentation of "A Christmas Story". Remember some of the favorite scenes: the Christmas parade, Santa Claus at the Mall, opening presents on Christmas morning (especially the bunny suit), the BB gun ("you'll shoot your eye out, kid"). Remember in your family as in mine what each child really wanted for Christmas. As our children grew older their gift wishes grew more and more expensive. One Christmas both sons wanted a car of their own. With all three children in Marshall at the same time there was fat chance of that happening!  But it didn't hurt to have high expectations. If you don't ask you will never know."Hey, boys, how about getting a part time job?" (They did!)

 

The coming of the King, the Messiah, was long expected and foretold by the prophets, A king to lead his people out of bondage. As we observe Palm Sunday we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem, albeit not in a royal carriage fit for a king but on the back of an humble donkey. Not quite what was expected but close enough the people thought as they cheered Him on His way. They lined His path with palm leaves, they cheered, He was their expectation.

 

Fast forward a few days. Now comes the unexpected part. Jesus is brought before Pilate, tried, found guilty and crucified. Not expected by his followers. A devastating end to their hopes (or so they thought). What must they do now?

 

Sometimes our own personal expectations for our lives are high (and that is not necessarily bad). Perhaps we are looking for a new job, a promotion? Looking for a happy solution to a pressing family problem? Expecting it because we think we deserve it?

 

And then the unexpected happens. Our hopes are dashed as another person claims what we believed we deserved, There seems to be no answer to that big problem.  Where do we go from here?

 

That's when we learn that God has a plan for us, a plan we had not expected but He knew and He would make it a reality.

 

God doesn't have to expect, He knows. TRUST HIM. At this Easter season remember that God loves each one of us and if someone loves you as God loves us there is no end to His bountiful goodness toward us.

 

LORD, I BELIEVE. HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF.

 

Jean Dean