The God of Surprises: Finding Joy in the Unexpected

What do you want for Christmas? It's a question we hear every year, and our answers change as we grow. As children, we meticulously craft wish lists filled with toys and games. As teenagers, we ask for fewer items but more expensive ones. And as adults? We become increasingly practical, often settling for the simple response: "Just surprise me."

There's something profound in that shift toward embracing surprise. It reflects a deeper spiritual truth about how we relate to God—a God whose ways are higher than our ways, whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts, as declared in Isaiah 55.

Wrestling with the Unpredictable

We can appreciate God's unpredictability when reading ancient stories. We admire how He chose an elderly couple, Abraham and Sarah, to become parents of nations after decades of waiting. We recognize the wisdom in Moses spending forty years in the desert, having his pride stripped away before leading the Exodus. We celebrate how God took Gideon out of his comfort zone and used him beyond his wildest dreams.

Yet when God applies those same principles to our own lives—making us wait, dealing with our pride, stretching us beyond comfort—we struggle. We want God to work predictably, on our timeline, according to our preferences. But the Christmas story reminds us that God is full of surprises, and those surprises lead to profound joy when we abandon ourselves to His unpredictable ways.

An Unusual Cast of Characters

The Christmas narrative begins with Zechariah, an elderly priest, and his wife Elizabeth, who was barren and past childbearing age. Among 24,000 priests serving in rotation, Zechariah received the rare privilege of burning incense in the temple—a once-in-a-lifetime honor. But this special moment became even more extraordinary when the angel Gabriel appeared with shocking news: Elizabeth would bear a son who would prepare the way for the Messiah.

Zechariah's response? Doubt. "How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years." His unbelief cost him his voice until the promise was fulfilled. Yet when the baby was born and named John, Zechariah's mouth opened, and he praised God. This elderly couple chose joy, embracing God's surprising plan rather than complaining about the inconvenience of raising a child in their golden years.

Then there's Mary, a young woman from Nazareth—a town so unremarkable that people questioned whether anything good could come from it. Gabriel appeared to her with the most astounding announcement: she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and give birth to the Messiah.

Mary understood the implications. This would complicate her engagement to Joseph, potentially bring disgrace to her family, and certainly invite ridicule. Yet her response was remarkable: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." She abandoned herself to God's will, and the result was joy so overwhelming that she burst into song, declaring, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."

An Incredible Birth Announcement

When Jesus was finally born, the announcement befitted a king. Angels filled the sky, the glory of the Lord shone around, and a heavenly choir proclaimed, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." This was the first Christmas light show, the first Christmas carol—a message fit for Rome, Jerusalem, and the entire world.

But who received this spectacular announcement? Shepherds. Not kings, not priests, not scholars—shepherds, who occupied the lowest rung of the social ladder.

Yet these weren't just any shepherds. Scholars believe they were likely the shepherds of Migdal Eder, the "Tower of the Flock," where lambs intended for temple sacrifice were raised. These men spent their lives identifying lambs without blemish for Passover offerings. They were the perfect audience to receive news of the Lamb of God—the final sacrifice for the sins of the world.

An Unlikely Birthplace

The King of Kings wasn't born in a palace but in a stable, laid in a manger—a feeding trough for animals. The packaging was poor, but the symbolism was perfect.

A stable represents our lives before Christ: messy and stained by sin. But when Jesus enters that messy place, it becomes holy. The shepherds didn't see the mess; they saw the Savior. They didn't smell the stench; they experienced the sweetness of God's grace. That's what happens when Jesus enters the stable of our hearts—He cleans up the mess and transforms the stench of our lives into the fragrance of grace.

And the location? Bethlehem, which means "house of bread." How fitting that the Bread of Life—the one who declared "I am the bread of life"—was born in the house of bread. Just as bread is essential sustenance for physical life, Jesus is essential for spiritual life.

Around the world, one in twelve people go to bed hungry each night. But how many of us hunger for God with that same desperation? Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." The question isn't just whether we eat physically, but whether we're partaking of the Bread of Life.

Unbelievable Joy

The most joyful people that night were the shepherds. They ran through the streets proclaiming that the Messiah had come. Their response teaches us something vital about the difference between happiness and joy.

Happiness depends on happenings—our circumstances. We're happy when we get the raise, win the game, or receive the perfect gift. But happiness fades when circumstances change.

Joy is different. Joy is a state of being despite circumstances. Joy comes when we abandon ourselves to this unpredictable God, trusting His wisdom, resting in His promises, and embracing His timing. Then we can be surprised by joy.

Many people today are trying to find themselves, searching for purpose and identity. But the irony is that you can't truly find yourself until you find Jesus. He is man as man was meant to be. You reach your full potential not by esteeming yourself, but by esteeming the Savior.

Embracing the Surprise

True joy comes when we abandon ourselves to God—in our relationships with difficult people, in job losses, in seasons of waiting, in work pressures. We have a choice: complain or embrace. That choice determines whether we experience joy.

You might experience happiness this Christmas if you receive all the gifts you wanted, but that happiness will only last until those gifts wear out or new models arrive. Joy, however, can be yours every day as you abandon yourself to God and allow Him to surprise you with how He wants to work in your life.

The Christmas story is full of surprises—elderly parents, a virgin birth, a stable nursery, a shepherd audience. But every surprise led to joy for those who embraced God's unexpected ways. This Christmas, will you make demands of God, or will you abandon yourself to the God of surprises? The choice determines not just your Christmas, but your life.