Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/215736
The God of 'Unexpecteds' TAMI WIDMER, STUDENT MA/CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING he "Christmas story" is with people expect their Tthebe a conquering king,riddled enters"unexpecteds."aThe Jewishland andwouldreligiousMessiah to but He the scene as helpless infant. It seem that news of long-awaited Messiah's birth would be trumpeted across the the leaders informed immediately. Instead, in Luke 2:8-38, Jesus's birth goes unnoticed by most and is revealed initially to grungy shepherds and two senior citizens in the temple: Simeon the devout and Anna the widow. God's pattern of appearing in unexpected ways continues today. During my time at Bible college, I went through a dry spell spiritually. I continuously pleaded with God to show up, and I put forth my best efforts by fervently attending chapel, church, studying the Bible, and having daily "quiet times." However, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years, and God remained silent. Then one cold February night, I got a phone call from my mother. Amidst broken sobs she uttered, "Dad has leukemia and is in the hospital." Somehow, this icy news melted my hard heart. As I dropped to my knees and let out a gutwrenching sob, I finally felt the divine comfort I was waiting for. I was looking for God at my clean and cozy Christian college campus, when all the while He intended to show up in the words of my cancer-ridden father in a hospital bed as he sang me his favorite hymn, "Stayed Upon Jehovah." "...[ANNA] GAVE THANKS TO GOD AND SPOKE ABOUT THE CHILD TO ALL WHO WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE REDEMPTION OF JERUSALEM." (LUKE 2:38) Oh how often we limit God to our boxes of predictability when He wants to surprise us in the unexpecteds of life! We go looking for the miraculous deliverer and miss out on the eternal peace that Simeon experienced while cradling the Infant in his arms. We expect God to reveal Himself most vividly through the words of our Sunday morning preacher when He is abiding in the tremulous voice of an 84-year-old widow who longs for her Heavenly home. 19 DECEMBER 24 Will we create space in our holiday plans for God to show up in unexpected ways? DENVER SEMINARY CHRISTMAS 2013