Surprise—Surprise!

Surprises in life are always interesting. God’s surprises are especially meaningful. The older I get the more I love to try to be more open to God’s surprises. One occurred just a few days ago.

I was reunited recently with a friend who has cancer. We met in high school when he played football for Robert E. Lee, and later for Bear Bryant and Gene Stallings at Alabama. He was a Hoss. I only played football for one year at Opelika High School and when we had to play undefeated Robert E. Lee football team, I was the quarterback and did everything I could to avoid Carl Hopson. He was amazing.

He is a member of Landmark Church of Christ. The pastor Buddy Bell, two of his great laymen, Tim Lee and Ed Bice, and my son Si and I decided to go to Wetumpka to the Wharf restaurant and have lunch with Carl. It was a real surprise to see his bright smile, his energetic attitude, his ability to tell interesting sports stories, and his eagerness to share his faith. It was one of God’s great powerful surprises.

Since I was with Buddy Bell, I figured I would have to pay the bill. As I was standing at the cash register, the employee asked if I wanted to round up our bill and that extra would go to their special emphasis of the day–battling cancer. Wow!! What a surprise. I briefly told them why we were there, and they wanted to meet Carl.

When they brought the food, I asked the waitress if she would like to come and have a prayer with us. She invited the other waitresses, and then they wanted the kitchen staff to come. At the busy lunch hour, everybody joined hands in a big circle, and we prayed.  A lot of tears of joy were shared.

The employees thanked us for inviting them to pray with us. I witnessed a restaurant become a place of worship. The presence of God was more in that circle of people praying than in many church services of which I have been a part. God gave one of the biggest surprises of worship that I have experienced.

Another surprise! She gave me #33 to put on the table to receive our food. Carl said that was his favorite number and the football jersey number for him and his son. His daughter in South, Georgia was having lunch with friends, and she sent a picture showing their meal number was #33. Surprise!

One of the interesting things about God’s surprises is that sometimes they initially seem to be bad, yet God has a way of turning them into good. I went to Wetumpka prepared for a really tough experience. I didn’t know what the attitude of Carl would be. His attitude changed everybody’s attitude—his faith convicted each of us.

God’s surprises always have a purpose. Peter wrote, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials that you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad for these trials make you partners with Christ.” (I Peter 4:12-13) What you initially see in a surprise can be fearful and shocking—but the purpose of God’s surprise is to produce the real joy of allowing the world to see His truth.

We really like the good surprises, but it is the tough things that make us what God wants to shape us to be. My friend Derric Johnson says that when God surprised everybody by choosing David to be a King, He didn’t bring him a crown—He brought him Goliath. Surprise!

What surprise are you ready to receive today?