Expected Surprise

Surprise!

The room is dark, the door opens and the light comes on. The party guests jump out from their hiding places and yell, “Surprise! Happy birthday! “ (Or whatever the occasion might be). The surprised one (and party planners hope there actually is such a person) stands still for a moment, stunned. What, what, what is this? Ohhhhh. Smiles break out all around and yes, let’s get this party started!

I’ve planned surprises and had them happen to me. Both are fun, in my opinion, though that viewpoint is not shared by everyone. Jane Austen once wrote that “Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable.”

Maybe, but I love them. I know my aunt advised against trying to surprise my mother for her 75^th birthday, perhaps feeling the shock would cause her early demise (it didn’t, unless it took eight more years to sink in!). She was happily flabbergasted that all four of her children, their spouses, some grandchildren and many extended family and friends took time from their schedules and traveled to Babbitt, Minnesota to wish her well on reaching three quarters of a century. (She was so overwhelmed that she wondered who the party was really for – it couldn’t possibly be in her honor!) Mom had never expected it.

Back in the 90’s I had a part-time McDonald’s job; I was in charge of kids’ birthday parties. One March day I had prepared a party, ready for the birthday girl to arrive. The funny thing was, she already had – me! Friends, who knew that I’d be working, had planned the whole 40^th birthday thing. And I had suspected nothing!

A few years ago, at a different part-time job, I was busily typing away in my church office. My husband, who also worked at church, called for me to come out into the hall. “In a minute,” I replied. “No,” he countered. “You’re going to want to come out here and see this!”

Interrupted exasperation turned to joyful astonishment as I, open-mouthed in amazement, laid my eyes upon my two precious grandsons, my daughter and her husband – who were, to my knowledge supposed to be in Livingston, Montana. But, instead, there they were, grinning in the church hallway in Pewaukee, Wisconsin! They had come as Nana's Christmas surprise – completely and wonderfully unexpected.

Imagine the shepherds’ stupefaction in the Bethlehem countryside, when, without warning they were startled from their dreams by a host of heavenlies. “Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger. At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace to all men and women on earth who please him.” (from Luke 2, The Message) They, mere sheepherders in the society in which they lived, never dreamed of being the honored recipients of such a marvelous message. Unexpected joy.

There’s an upcoming event that will not be a surprise party. Though we’re not privy to the exact time, we have been invited. “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matthew 24:3-31) Won’t that be a day of sweet expected surprise?! You’ve RSVP’d, right?

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”  John 1:12 (NIV)