God's Unexpected Surprises

"Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) I have always tried to be careful not to interpret this verse as if God is going to give us everything we want. I think it means that when we delight in Him, His desires become our desires.

This blog was inspired by a family of deer that has taken up residence in our salmonberry patch. It catches me by surprise every time I see them grazing on the grassy knoll just outside our front door. One day the realization hit me. When I was growing up, we went to the Smoky Mountains every summer. When we would spot a deer grazing in a field, my dad would park the car so we could watch it. Perhaps it was because we lived in the city, where we seldom saw any wildlife, but my entire family seemed mesmerized by these beautiful creatures.

I find it so incredible that decades later, God would bless me with an entire family of Sitka Deer living in my backyard. Coming out to graze at my front door. I am humbled by the realization that God gives the desires of our heart, even when we don't think to ask.

This past week God has given me so many unexpected gifts: The generous gift of sky miles that enabled me to be part of celebrating a dear friend's well-lived life. The blessing of time spent with my precious daughter and her husband. Being in South Florida just in time to celebrate another good friend's 60th birthday. Seeing quite a few "old" friends in spite of the brevity of my trip. And then, on my way home, what could have been a frustrating 52-hour layover because of a winter storm, brought the added surprise of seeing a friend who "just happened" to be visiting Anchorage at the same time.

If we truly believe that God ordains our steps (Psalm 37:23), then surely nothing that we view as an inconvenience or roadblock catches Him by surprise. A wise friend used to say that every moment is in God's plan...every breath we take, every place we go, every person we meet. And it seems even more evident when it happens unexpectedly, don't you think? I love it when God surprises us! "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him and He will do it." (Psalm 37:5)