Surprises!

Surprises!

Genesis 21:5”Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.”

My family: right from my son, daughter, husband, sisters and mom, all of them love surprises! Notorious gang for surprises! They would surprise you out of the blue and guffaw! On one of my birthday, they suddenly woke me up sharp at 12 midnight and invited me to the living room decorated beautifully for my birthday, the entire gang were gathered with a big birthday cake! Groggy and sleepy, dressed in my night dress, I looked anything but excited! I asked them, ‘why was I not informed? Bang came the reply - ‘we wanted to surprise you!’ Oh! I wish I would have been informed about all this fun, so that right from the start I could have enjoyed too! Yet, the ‘notorious gang for surprises’ have never changed till date!

My mom got the home whitewashed, got the walls decorated with lovely art done by my sister herself and many other enhancing touches were given for the house; yet, yet….she did not breathe a word to me! I would call her every day; yet, she would conceal the entire issue and say, ‘nothing new happening here!’ Imagine! Finally, when I visited my mom during the holidays, with a twinkle in her eyes, she stood at the door, as though nothing happened. I was stunned to see the entire house revamped, fresh and new! I asked, ‘why was I not informed, at least for prayer?’ bang came the reply, ‘I wanted to surprise you!’ Oh! Exasperated, I walked in! After I settled, I thought, ‘how much my mom would have controlled herself to hold back the news, how much she would have planned to give me the excitement - all this was done to surprise me!’ I felt bad; however, I told my mom, ‘please involve me in the fun!’

Friend, don’t we feel the same way with God! He takes us through a long process of waiting, anticipation, silence, anxiety and what not! The ‘answer and the gift’ has already been gift-wrapped with love and kept ready for us; yet, there is a time frame attached to it. Are you listening? Here, I would like to say, ‘God teaches us the art of waiting!’ The flesh has to be crucified! Engagement is just not enough, you got to wait until marriage! Are you listening? Self-control! All of us want the job quickly, want promotion now, want the increment now, want the transfer now, want the marriage immediately, want the project now; yet, God does things according to His time table. Friend, believe me, the waiting period may be excruciating; however, the end would be glorious! Trust Him!

Abraham had to wait for 25 years to see his son Isaac! But, during the waiting period and during his intimate conversation with God and during the time he was heart-broken, God spoke to Abraham very closely. Abraham and God became FRIENDS eventually! Glory! Glory! God said: "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." I write this portion with tears! Along with you, I am also waiting for a very, very, very long time for some miracles to unfold in my life! Like the way I spoke to my mom, I spoke to my Dad Jesus, ‘Father, Can I not be informed please, let me partake in the fun?’ God replied, ‘Bala, I want to surprise you and your reward will be very great!’

God bless you!