Surprise, Surprise!

Ardis Dick Stenbakken, Former General Conference Women's Ministries Director

Surprise, Surprise!Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?“ or “Why are you talking with her?“

John 4:27 NIV

Since the beginning of time, God has surprised His people, not always operating as they had come to expect He would. I was just struck again with this idea in the story of Ruth. She was married to Mahlon, who died. Then she was married to Boaz in a levirate marriage, the purpose of which was to provide descendants and preserve the name of the dead husband. But in Ruth, the genealogy goes through Boaz, not Mahlon.

We are all familiar with the stories in which the younger son got the blessing rather than the expected elder: Abel, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Ephraim, David. King Solomon was not the next in line to be king – he was neither David’s eldest nor the crown prince, but obviously chosen by God. And there were those barren women who had surprise babies: Sarah, Rebecca, Hannah, and Elizabeth. To say nothing of the surprise Mary had when the angel visited her!

All through His short life, Jesus was surprising people. When He performed His first miracle, the master of the banquet was surprised at the improved quality of the wine (John 2). Very often after Jesus performed a miracle or answered His accusers and critics, the Bible says the people were amazed – that is, beyond suprised. In today’s text, the disciples were surprised that Jesus was carrying on a conversation with a woman! Proper Jewish men did not do that. And it was to this person – a foreigner, a woman, and a Samaritan! – that Jesus first clearly stated that He was the Messiah. And it was to a woman that Jesus first appeared after His resurrection and to whom He gave a message for His disciples and Peter. Of course, the men didn’t believe the women at first. Surprise, surprise.

When Jesus met with Nicodemus at night, He told him, „You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again‘“ (John 3:7 NIV).

So what surprises has our Lord placed in your life lately? Perhaps the most amazing one of all is that while we are yet sinners, He loved and died for us (Romans 5:8). That is beyond surprising – amazing, unfathomable!

Ardis Dick Stenbakken

Notes of Joy ©2017 by Pacific Press Publishing Association

Ardis Dick Stenbakken, Former General Conference Women's Ministries Director