A little boy was at my house one day and he spilled a cup of water. I quickly started to wipe up the water with whatever I could find before it seeped through the cracks into a storage bin I had. My hand was soaking wet and a thought entered my mind: “I think I’ll turn what could be a tense moment into something light-hearted and have some fun with this boy.” So what did I do? I flicked the water on my hand at him and waited for his reaction.
His reaction caught me by surprise because a startled look appeared on his face. I thought to myself, “Uh-oh, I scared him and made things worse!” Then after a moment of silence, a grin appeared on his face and he said, “Do it again!”
My interaction with this delightful boy reminds me of the way we respond to God at times. He does something in our lives and at first it startles it us. We are either not expecting what He does or it is something new. Then, as the experience settles in and we realize who is doing it to us, a grin comes to our spirit and we say, “Do it again!” This happened to me early on in my ministry. I was exposed to some things God was doing that were new to me and I didn’t quite know what to make it at first. Then, as the experience settled, I wanted more and my spirit cried out, “Do it again, Lord!”
Sometimes the story does not turn out as nice as the above, however. People sometimes remain in the startled state and do not give the experience enough time to settle in. Before they realize that God is doing it and that He is not doing it to harm them, they react and get upset. They become mad at life or angry at God. They do not realize God’s thoughts toward them:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of
evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV)
What about you? How do you respond to God’s surprises in life? Do you take time to let them settle in, consider the One sending them and cry out, “Do it again, Lord?” Or do you react quickly and become upset? If you react too quickly, you will be missing out on an experience that could actually endear you to your Creator.
Lord, thank You for the surprises you send my way.
Forgive me for the times I have reacted quickly and was angry.
Help me to recognize your surprises in the future and be drawn to You
though them. Let my spirit cry out within me, “Do it again, Lord!”
In Jesus’ name, amen.
[i] Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Jeremiah 29:11
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