Surprise!
Surprises are a mixed bag. Some are welcome, some not:
an unexpected birthday party,
a positive pregnancy test,
a letter from the IRS, months after you’ve paid your taxes,
a bouquet of flowers when it’s not your anniversary or birthday,
a deer that leaps in front of your car at 60 mph.
This week I was surprised–pleasantly–by sunflowers.
Six feet tall, seven at the best–that was all I expected. According to the description on the back of the sunflower seed packets, these varieties shouldn’t be this tall.
The Mammoth Russians I knew would grow eight to twelve feet high, but I was surprised to be looking up at the Evening Sun and Autumn Beauty sunflowers towering four feet above me, reaching into the eaves of the garage.
When I get more than I bargain for,
more than I expect,
more than I deserve,
it warms my heart, triggers happy tears, and drops me to my knees.
These are the surprises that amaze and astonish.
And the greatest surprise, the epiphany that prompts hands raised in praise?
I am surprised to be loved by God.
I am in awe of the great wonder of Jesus’ saving grace and His startling love for me. It is more than I could expect, more than I deserve.
But me he caught—reached all the way
from sky to sea; he pulled me out
Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,
the void in which I was drowning.
They hit me when I was down,
but God stuck by me.
He stood me up on a wide-open field;
I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!Psalm 18:16-19 MSG
God continues to bless me with the wonder of the unexpected. This week, as I photographed the sunflowers (those I could reach), I noticed the scarlet shape of a male cardinal sitting on the garage window sill, half hidden behind the thick stalks. Then I startled into flight a bright, mating-season yellow goldfinch, that had been perched on a ripening seed head.
I had received another surprise, a gift wrapped in beauty with a “card” signed, “your loving Father.”
We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does;
his miracle-surprises can’t be counted. Job 9:10
My prayer for us all:
May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, put a fresh heart in you . . . 2 Thess. 2:16-17 MSG
How has God surprised you this week?
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My thanks go to blogger Walter Bright. I was inspired by his post “Surprised by His Love,” commenting on Psalm 18:16-19 MSG.
Posted on July 30, 2015, in Devotional and tagged love, sunflowers, surprise. Bookmark the permalink. 14 Comments.
Wow!
Wow!
Wow!
My Lord, surprise me with gifts, winnings, promotions and favor.
A smooth and refreshing read. Thank you!
Thanks, Walter, for providing the inspiration in your post.
Yes, if we earthly parents like to give our children good gifts (and surprises!), how much more will our heavenly Father give good gifts!
These are indeed precious verses, Constance! I love the KJV rendering “…He delivered me, because He delighted in me.”
I have several notes in the margins of this Psalm. One is the word “protector”, which is also used in Isaiah 3:1(which speaks of sustenance by bread and water) and 10:20 (lean upon).
Some days the Lord surprises me with more than enough strength to do what needs to be done. Some days I am blessed to spot a Great Blue Heron. Your beautiful extremely tall sunflowers are such a testimony of God’s love. Thank you for sharing them with us! Joyce
Thanks for sharing the KJV, Joyce! I’d had forgotten how many times in the Bible it says God delights in us. I love being able to read various translations and paraphrases. The different nuances of the different words are fascinating.
The pictures of the flower portions are wonderful and wonderful. Made me smile and grin at you and yours. Bless you and thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed the sunflowers. There are so many beautiful things in my yard to give thanks for.
This encouraged my heart on a Monday morning, Constance. Thank you. I love our God who is full of swee surprises. 🙂
I’m so glad the words and photos could fulfill their mission and encourage you, Lyli. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Oh I love this so much… simply because (and those photo’s – oh my!) but also because God just spoke to me last week and He used Sunflowers! I don’t like to link to my own posts – but if you click on my site, you will find it not too far down… it’s called: Sunflowers, Prayer Walks, and How He Speaks To Us Through Flowers… So glad we are neighbors today over at Laura’s place!
I’m smiling to think how the Lord has been speaking to us both, using sunflowers. Thanks for telling me about your post–I had missed it. http://abidingloveaboundinggrace.blogspot.com/2015/07/i-woke-up-early-this-morning-slowly.html
Hi Constance! Thank you for your sweet words over on my unperfect post 🙂 What a precious place you have over and so full of life and sun and Son! Blessed to get to know you through Jennifer’s linkup today!
Thanks for your encouraging comment, Christi! I heard a speaker talk about the Greek word for perfect that means “meeting its intended purpose.” (http://wp.me/p3LnRB-Qr) So your “unperfect” post is actually quite perfect since it met its purpose of encouraging others, including me. : )
Beautiful pictures! Our sunflowers are unexpectedly tall too, but haven’t opened yet. I would need a step ladder to get pictures! Thanks for linking with #SmallWonder, Constance.
Kelly, I’m glad you enjoyed the sunflower photos. I’d been thinking about getting out the step ladder to take pictures. : )
Thanks for providing the opportunity to share.