Florence Chadwick was an American swimmer known for long-distance open water swimming. She was the first woman to swim the 26 mile Catalina Channel, but actually failed on her first attempt. Why? Towards the end of her attempt she was tiring quickly, and a thick fog obscured her ability to see the coastline. She gave up and asked to be pulled into the boat, where she found out that she was actually only a mile from her destination.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth “We’re not giving up. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever. (II Corinthians 4:16 & 18)

Things around us can look pretty bleak. But what we see is not the full picture. Trust the One who sees AND controls it all to carry you through the long haul, because “this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble.” (II Corinthians 4:17)

Psalm 23 is probably the most familiar Psalm in the Bible.  To those who see God as nothing but an angry grumpy tyrant, ready to blast us out of existence for any mis-step, this picture of a tender and attentive shepherd can come as a surprise.

Surprises – they pop up in our lives all the time.  Everyday surprises are not always as obvious or extreme as these, but here are some examples.

The truth is, God was good the whole time.  He delivered on His surprise.  Israel just had to work through the rough wrapping to get to the treasure inside.  So it is with us.

As a young adult, I remember vividly my mother listening as I poured out my fear and concern about a crisis point in my life, one that could shape my whole future.  What if I fail?  What’s going to happen?  She listened and then said this to me – “God is not sitting on His throne, wringing His hands and wondering ‘Oh, no, what am I going to do’?  When I think about that, I almost always chuckle.  It is indeed a ridiculous thought.  God’s got this.  He knows what’s going on with the great surprises.  He knows what’s going on with the unwanted surprises. 

Either way, it can lead us to the gift that was hidden inside the roughly wrapped package. 

It might be fair to say that sometimes our loved ones have brought some unwanted surprises, especially as they became less well and more dependent on others. As loved ones and friends we’ve worked to comfort, to help, and have done our best to prepare for and prevent unwanted surprises. And yet . . . they still come. Those unwanted surprises can be challenging, exhausting, and sometimes devastating.

But if we take our cue from the Israelites, we’ll look a little farther, and see a little deeper.  We’ll discover and remember the events that are nuggets of blessing.  We’ll reflect on the times when, despite all the challenges of the situation, we’ve shared a moment we’ll never forget, and possibly that will influence us for the rest of our lives.

In that moment the rough wrapping of unwanted surprises can be laid aside, and we can discover one nugget of treasure among many –  the assurance that no matter what has come before, God is not surprised and He is in control.  It’s a reminder to make all of our interactions with others the wonderful surprise that God intends our lives to be.