The God Of The Unexpected

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Category: Fingerpost | Jul 1973

Christians are startled when the Lord works in a way which is opposite to what they expect. We get into a rut, and often we follow a ritual of expectancy which allows for no change; then suddenly we wake up and find His word being fulfilled, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD" (Isa. 55:8). Did you know that our God is the God of the paradox? In the days of the Lord people were amazed when a man was healed and his sins were forgiven. "We have seen strange things today", they said (Luke 5:26). We get our word paradox from this word "strange". The Lord did something contrary to human expectation; something extraordinary; and people were gripped by amazement.

Some years ago a single verse of poetry was found written on the wall of a room in a mental hospital. It was not written by the author, for the words were first penned more than three centuries before. And today this verse forms part of a beautiful hymn which Christians delight to sing.

"Could we with ink the ocean fill.

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole.

Tho' stretched from sky to sky."

These words were said to have been composed by a Jewish rabbi, and God has allowed them to be preserved to console redeemed hearts, and to bring sinners to Christ. They were quoted one night by a preacher, and a derelict who heard them phoned to ask if it could possibly be true that God would love a wicked sinner like himself. The message of love was preached over the phone, and the listening sinner was saved. Strange? Yes. Paradoxical? only to us, for "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform".

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Jul 1973
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