Unexpected

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah 5:2

A long, long time ago when I was young, I worked for a time at our local Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop. In the evenings we listened to the local radio station and if it was slow we would call and ask our favorite D.J. to play our favorite songs. On occasion after closing the store we would make an ice cream run to the radio station and say thanks for playing our requests with an ice cream sundae. Now our favorite D.J. had that big stereotypical D.J. voice, so imagine our surprise the first time we took him ice cream to discover a gentleman of slight stature who sounded nothing at all like the man on the radio - His appearance and “real” voice were unexpected. 

Turn the clock back a couple of thousand years to another unexpected appearance. The Israelites knew they were waiting for Messiah, they knew what the prophets of old had to say about this expected savior. However, not unlike us modern humans I think they only heard the bits they wanted to hear. You know the bits about him being the Prince of Peace, Mighty God, about the peace he would bring; about the justice he would deliver (Isaiah 9:6-7). They set aside the bits that were hard to hear - his disfigured appearance, his marred form, (Isaiah 52:14), or what about how he would be despised and pierced for our transgressions (Isaiah 53:2-6). Jesus fit every word spoken by the prophets but he was not what the people expected.

How could a great king and warrior be born in Bethlehem, or come from Nazareth (John 1:46)? He was the son of a carpenter, he was not wealthy, or powerful or a warrior. He did not speak of overthrowing the Roman government; he spoke of shepherds and sheep, of humility and service. He is the Savior of the world and even though he was looked for - he was unexpected. 

During this advent season as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ first coming and look forward in great anticipation for His second coming lets be careful not to overlook Him in the here and now. Mother Teresa once said: “I see Jesus in every human being.” This holiday season will we see Jesus in the face above the cardboard sign? Will we see Him in the face of the mom who can’t afford a gift for her child? 

I hope that we will see Him in one another and look for Him in unexpected places.

A Prayer
Father - Thank you that your prophets spoke of the One who would come and bring peace for our hearts and help us not to forget that we have His peace because of the great price He paid. We know He is coming back, help us not to miss Him in the here and now because he doesn’t meet our expectations. In the name of Jesus who is expected and unexpected we pray - Amen.