The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
If God surprises you, will you still receive Him? Nicodemus was a leader of the Pharisees. He had something to lose if his peers knew that he had gone to visit with Jesus, so he went at night when no one could see. He expected a Messiah Who would come with political clout and overthrow the oppressive Roman conquerors. He had no paradigm of a God Who walks in the dirt with common men and carried their sins on His shoulders. In John 3:11 Jesus testifies of Nicodemus’ faith, “You receive not our witness. ” Though he came to talk to Jesus by night, his faith was not saving faith. He was surprised by the Messiah he found, and responded with questions and doubts.
In sharp contrast, twelve men in a boat responded in a far different way. The disciples were rowing across the Sea of Galilee at night, fighting the wind for every yard they gained. As they looked up, they saw a shape moving across the water in their direction. They cried in terror not realizing that it was Jesus strolling toward their boat atop the waves. Hearing their cry, Jesus assured them, “Take courage! It is I, be not afraid.” The disciples then WILLINGLY received Him into their boat. (John 6:21) Jesus surprised the disciples, but their response to Him was one of faith.
If the Lord surprises us, how will we respond? For several years, it seemed the church had this idea of what it was going to look like when the Lord showed up. It was going to be a crazy, off the hook church service where everyone danced and shouted, but still got out of the building in time to get to the restaurant before the crowd showed up. The Lord’s blessing and favor meant a bigger house, a newer car, and promotions that we didn’t deserve. It meant we were going to live a life where the world celebrated us and sought our pleasure.
But what if God surprises us? What if He shows up outside the walls of our churches? What if He goes to inmates who are crying in repentance? What if He goes to the unknown intercessors praying alone in their bedrooms?
In fact, what if He shows up inside the walls of the sanctuary and does not really care if we make it out in time for lunch? What if He says on a Sunday morning, “Just lay down your dignity and stay here in front of Me with your face on the carpet and let Me be your Bread”?
What if He shows up and isn’t really all that interested in us having more stuff? What if He is more interested in having more of us? And those promotions and the favor of men, what if He prefers us to go low or asks us to walk in the fire with Him?
Church, we need to check our expectations of God at the door. Isaiah saw Him high and lifted up and just the fringes of His robe was too big for the temple, the place of Isaiah’s religious expectations (Isaiah 6:1). God still doesn’t fit in our little boxes. Holy Spirit is still like the wind. Jesus is still likely to call us to pick up a cross and lay down our comfort. So I ask you again, if the Lord surprises you–if He offends your sensibilities, challenges your paradigm, or asks you to trade your dreams for His, will you still receive Him?
Pray with me?
Lord, we come in Jesus’ name and ask, move us beyond our comfortable places. We just want You. Everywhere that our will is different than Yours, we give You permission to put us back on the Potter’s wheel and remold us. The Spirit and the Bride cry together, Come, Lord Jesus. We will choose You. Whatever it looks like, come.
