UNEXPECTED

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I had the chance to marry another sweet couple yesterday. I know what some of you purists are saying, “A wedding; on a Tuesday afternoon?”

For me it was just another day of ministry.

When you have married folks on a wind-swept bridge in a park when it was just a "skosh" over 50 degrees or two couples through the glass over the phone in the jail, a Tuesday wedding is not that unusual.

What was unusual was my couple.

I met them as clients the JEREMIAH TREE and its partnership with our homeless shelter in Xenia. And over the course of their stay with us I have seen GOD do some pretty remarkable things with them.

They have come to love the Lord. They have grown in their love for each other. I have seen each of them grow eager to see what GOD has next for them and their marriage. Every task I gave them in counseling they embraced willingly and enthusiastically and now that they are man and wife, I believe GOD is going to continue doing the “unexpected”in their lives.

To be honest, I have been most surprised by these two. Out of some really tough circumstances has emerged quite the story of love and devotion. It has been MOST unexpected.

And that got me to thinking.

Our GOD is in the business of doing the unexpected; the extraordinary. He has made His name by taking what society, culture or sadly even the “church” would deem as hopeless or broken and making something amazing out of it. Just look…

Isaiah 61:3

…he will give: beauty for ashes...

My new friends embody this passage.

Life has been tough; lots and lots of ash and not much beauty. But GOD is making changes in them each and every day we are getting a chance to see it! They are embracing this new start with one another with vigor and enthusiasm and they are experiencing the favor of GOD. Again, we shouldn’t be surprised. That is what GOD does…

Proverbs 18:22

Find a good spouse, you find a good life—and even more: the favor of God!

I am happy for my friends. I am also so grateful to serve a GOD who continues to do the unthinkable, the unexpected and the seemingly impossible. I get a front row seat to amazing restoration stories almost every day. I often get to see scripture come to life; to see beauty birthed from ash and it is amazing.

The truth is GOD is doing things like this all around all of us every day. We just need to be more observant; be paying attention so we don’t miss it.

Isaiah 43:19

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way…

GOD uses the change in and the stories of others to “reveal” Himself to us; to “confirm” Himself to us, to inspire us! We need to be watching!

So can I encourage you to do something today?

Don’t get so absorbed with your “life” that you don’t take a second and look around and see what GOD is doing in the lives around you.

Colossians 1:2

…Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is.

For you too may get a chance at a front row seat to something “unexpected”!

Job 5:9

After all, he’s (GOD) famous for great and unexpected acts; there’s no end to his surprises…

I love you all!

Freedom Church

Pastor GDelaney

Pastor GDelaney