The Unexpected Things of Life . . .
Have you ever been hit by something unexpected? You're going along your merry way, thinking that things are going pretty smooth, when all of a sudden, out of the blue; something unexpected hits you that changes your whole day and even sometimes your whole life.
That's what happened to Ezekiel of the Old Testament era. He was in seminary, pursuing his lifelong calling to be a man of God in the Temple, in Jerusalem. He thought he had it all figured out when out of the blue, he ends up in exile with people he didn't even want to be with, completely blowing his neat planned life up in smoke. This was not fair.
Whether or not he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time (an innocent bystander) or is was God's plan for his life, is not the issue here. The issue is he was Babylonia and not in Jerusalem. He was not happy. (Let's not forget that even though Ezekiel was a man of God, he was also human!) If I'd been Ezekiel, I'd done some major crying, then I'd get a little angry, and probably end up depressed.
Ezekiel soon finds out that even though life had not worked out the way he had planned or wanted, God had not left him and was there with him. God was faithful to show Ezekiel that He was still God and would not leave or forsake him.
As I sit and write, I'm reminded of people I know or have read about that have had some major "Unexpected" things happen to them:
Joni Erickson Tada - she went swimming as a teen and left the swimming hole paralyzed from the next down. She cannot do anything for herself and is at the total mercy of others to take care of the most personal of chores. This was one of those major unexpected things that she had not planned on when she put on her swimsuit that fateful morning and headed out to have fun with her friends and family. After some time of hospitalization, Joni met Jesus who totally transformed her life. She now is a wife, an artist (painting with a brush held in her teeth), sings and has recorded at least one CD, is a published author, and has set up a foundation that takes wheelchairs, walkers, and other aids and reworks them for distribution to third world countries where many people could not afford them otherwise. Wow!
Chuck Colston - Watergate fame who spent time in prison. Guess what!?! He also found Jesus, the same God of Ezekiel and Joni Erickson. His life was also transformed. The unexpected in his life happened when he heard the jury foreman say, "Guilty!" The unexpected in his life happened when he heard the doors of the prison slam shut behind him, leaving his isolated from his friends and family and sentenced to a life of unknowns. But as the Psalmist David stated, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." (Psalm 139:7-8)
After meeting Jesus, Chuck Colston turned his life into one of service and now spends his time helping others who are incarcerated. What a difference he's allowed God to make in and through his life.
I have some friends who have recently been hit by the "unexpected" events of life. They have questioned, "Why?" and have wondered "Can life possibly go on?" I say without any hesitation, "God is present (everywhere) and He will give strength and grace to face each day as they live out the "unexpected!" Will it always be easy? NO! Will we always understand? NO! Will it be worth it? How do you think that Ezekiel would answer that question, if you were able to ask him today? "YES, YES, and YES!!!"
That's what happened to Ezekiel of the Old Testament era. He was in seminary, pursuing his lifelong calling to be a man of God in the Temple, in Jerusalem. He thought he had it all figured out when out of the blue, he ends up in exile with people he didn't even want to be with, completely blowing his neat planned life up in smoke. This was not fair.
Whether or not he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time (an innocent bystander) or is was God's plan for his life, is not the issue here. The issue is he was Babylonia and not in Jerusalem. He was not happy. (Let's not forget that even though Ezekiel was a man of God, he was also human!) If I'd been Ezekiel, I'd done some major crying, then I'd get a little angry, and probably end up depressed.
Ezekiel soon finds out that even though life had not worked out the way he had planned or wanted, God had not left him and was there with him. God was faithful to show Ezekiel that He was still God and would not leave or forsake him.
As I sit and write, I'm reminded of people I know or have read about that have had some major "Unexpected" things happen to them:
Joni Erickson Tada - she went swimming as a teen and left the swimming hole paralyzed from the next down. She cannot do anything for herself and is at the total mercy of others to take care of the most personal of chores. This was one of those major unexpected things that she had not planned on when she put on her swimsuit that fateful morning and headed out to have fun with her friends and family. After some time of hospitalization, Joni met Jesus who totally transformed her life. She now is a wife, an artist (painting with a brush held in her teeth), sings and has recorded at least one CD, is a published author, and has set up a foundation that takes wheelchairs, walkers, and other aids and reworks them for distribution to third world countries where many people could not afford them otherwise. Wow!
Chuck Colston - Watergate fame who spent time in prison. Guess what!?! He also found Jesus, the same God of Ezekiel and Joni Erickson. His life was also transformed. The unexpected in his life happened when he heard the jury foreman say, "Guilty!" The unexpected in his life happened when he heard the doors of the prison slam shut behind him, leaving his isolated from his friends and family and sentenced to a life of unknowns. But as the Psalmist David stated, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." (Psalm 139:7-8)
After meeting Jesus, Chuck Colston turned his life into one of service and now spends his time helping others who are incarcerated. What a difference he's allowed God to make in and through his life.
I have some friends who have recently been hit by the "unexpected" events of life. They have questioned, "Why?" and have wondered "Can life possibly go on?" I say without any hesitation, "God is present (everywhere) and He will give strength and grace to face each day as they live out the "unexpected!" Will it always be easy? NO! Will we always understand? NO! Will it be worth it? How do you think that Ezekiel would answer that question, if you were able to ask him today? "YES, YES, and YES!!!"
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