I have this problem. God speaks to me.

But that’s not the problem. It’s quite great actually. The problem is that I am surprised. Every. Time.

You would think that I would be used to it by now. He’s said he’s with us. Wants to tell us things. Things about him. He reveals himself to us. Which is the only way we know about him in the first place. Yet so many times when it happens, I am shocked. Over and over again.

But maybe my surprise problem isn’t so bad. After all, we’re not used to supernatural things. Hence the name, supernatural. Miracles don’t happen around every corner. That’s why they’re miraculous.

I get to see the transcendent, invisible, relentlessly loving God act in my life. And because it’s not in line with the way the world usually works, I am surprised.

This Sunday, I was listening to another great sermon by Paul Taylor. He spoke about Jesus’ last words, and how we can trust God like Jesus did. As the sermon neared its end, a funny thing happened. I felt this desire. A longing rose up within me. And all I could think was, “I want to know the power of his resurrection.” I don’t know why that came to me. I mean, we were talking about Jesus dying. Which we believe was followed by his rising. But this phrase came into my head pretty much out of no where. I just knew. I knew that I wanted to know the power of his resurrection.

And then I tuned back into the service. Paul was still speaking. He was wrapping up and said he was going to read some passages. And then he turned to Philippians and read, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

Shocked. Again. Had he mentioned it before? Or did the Spirit really just emphasize something in my mind before Paul even preached it? I couldn’t believe my ears. But I could. God was in that room. And had answered that little prayer I pray every week for him to speak to me at church.

I want to know the power of Jesus’ resurrection.

I’m not quite sure how to do that. But I would guess that God does. I would be a crazy thing to see. But that’s how it goes I guess.

Maybe it’s not such a problem after all.

Question: Are you surprised when God does things? Care to share a story of your own?