Galatians 1:15 has caught my attention: "But when it pleased (in His good pleasure) God....". Since God is God (and we're not) it would seem the right thing to allow Him to do whatever, whenever and however it pleases Him the most. As God's kids, we have to learn to make adequate room for God...give Him "elbow room" as Oswald Chambers says.
We can pray, figure, estimate and state this or that will happen, and we can forget that God must come and do as He chooses. Would we be surprised if God came into our meetings or our preaching / teaching / worship in a way we had never looked for or anticipated? Do not look for God to come in any particular way, but rather look for Him! That is how we give Him the room He deserves. Expect Him to come, but not necessarily in a certain way. However much we may know Him, the great lesson is that at any minute He may come, and when He does, doing His work and in His way.
Don't overlook the element of surprise! Does God work in any other way? Isn't that what we want him to do, since he has the ability to do exceedingly, above and beyond anything that we can ask or think? Oh to have the privilege, as Paul did in this passage, giving testimony of his own life, that "suddenly, God met me, and did so when He got good and ready."
Stay connected to Him in such an intimate fashion, that His surprising abilities may break out on the right hand and on the left. Always be expecting, and make sure that you leave Him room to do whatever, whenever, however He likes. Right now, I think He's sitting back thinking, "Yea for Mitch" as I think and write these thoughts. Who knows...maybe today, tomorrow...and what a surprise it will be.
Adapted from My Utmost For his Highest - Oswald Chambers
After His Heart,
Mitch
