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.

That seems to be the way every commercial or newscast begins lately.  Okay, they might use the words “anxious” or “unprecedented” instead of “uncertain”, but here’s what they DON’T say:

“This Coronavirus STINKS!”.

And it does. The threat of physical suffering is real, but the overwhelming burden that most of us feel, including our residents here at The Gardens, is really separation. We can’t meet our friends for dinner somewhere, we can’t greet loved ones with a handshake and a hug, and we can’t cuddle our grandbabies. And the question on our minds more than any other is this:

When will it end?

During our morning breakfast devotion at The Gardens we concentrate on and cultivate one fruit of the Spirit each week. Want to guess what this week’s fruit is? It’s patience. Overlooking the inconveniences of the world. Instead of complaining about a delay, thanking God for an extra moment to pray. Choosing to face new challenges with joy instead of cursing and clenching our fists.

Paul wrote in Romans that everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. Max Lucado writes that these scriptures show “historical moments in which a real God met real pain”.

So it helps us to remember that the same God who comforted the children of Israel through every exile, who wept with grieving sisters before he raised their brother to life, who whispered hope to two bereaved and bewildered believers on the road to Emmaus . . .

 . . . this same God waits with you today as He repeats the words He uttered to the Israelites: “Be still; the LORD your GOD will fight for you.” This same God “will cover you with His  feathers and . . you will not fear the pestilence . . or the plague”. 

Your Father cares, and He will protect you.

Neil Stephens, Chaplain

For one of our Thursday Bible Studies this month we are looking at what Jesus said about our life’s purpose. You may have seen Viktor Frankl’s well-known quote, “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.” That is clever but contrary to what God’s word says. Our life’s meaning is found in God Himself. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We who follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior have found life’s meaning and purpose when we found Christ. Rick Warren has written, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.” Our purpose is to present ourselves to Jesus to allow Him to work his purpose in us.

God is good and his work for us, in us, and through us is also good.  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Jesus always says it best. When discovering our true purpose which gives our lives meaning, we find it simply put in Matthew 5:15-16. “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”