4/23/14 Life in the Parkie Lane

That's Not What I Expected                                                              


Being a reasonably mechanically-minded individual, most minor maintenance issues don't intimidate me. Years ago, when the toilet was running on, I knew the flap in the tank had come off the little chain again.

Therefore, knowing what to expect, I turned the water off, straddled the tank, removed the tank lid with my face strategically placed to peer into the problem area.  Instead of seeing an empty tank with a flap problem, my vision blurred as a stream of cold water shot up into my eyes. I jerked my head up and back, but that only provided a way for the water to go up my nostrils.  I couldn't see, I couldn't breathe.  What to do, what to do…think, think, think.  Then, clarity struck. I put the lid back down. I reached for a towel and said, "Wow, that's not what I expected."

The nobleman in this verse had a preconceived idea on how things would go.  He expected Jesus to make a bit of fanfare because of his nobility.  However, Jesus saw through that.  He told the nobleman that his son was healed and to go home.  Answered prayer, but no fanfare.  Not exactly what the nobleman expected. 

Too often, I have things all planned out for God, but He does them differently.  He answers my prayers, but oftentimes not in the way I expected.

When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. John 4:47-50


© copyright Kevin T Boekhoff


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