The Surprise Visit
By now you know that I love birthdays! After five decades I have gotten pretty good at celebrating :) but this year was extra special because of a most wonderful surprise.
The August long weekend was a particularly busy time. I had a wedding rehearsal on Friday night and then a wedding on Saturday afternoon. The wedding was beautiful, not just because of the venue, flowers and dress but because of the bride and groom. I love doing weddings for couples I truly love and respect. This was one of those beautiful weddings!
Brian came to the wedding with me so it was a lovely night out. However, after the dinner and speeches I was starting to get little weary, so just before 11pm we said our goodbyes and made our way home. I kicked off my shoes and had a little rest as Brian played chauffeur.
I was thinking of all the things I needed to prepare for the next morning when Brian pulled into our driveway. Home. I didn’t bother putting my shoes on as I got out of the car and paddled up to the door. Brian had put his house keys in my purse, so I handed him my shoes as I dug in to my large “Never Full” bag. Brian reached over me to ring the doorbell. “Tyler’s home”, he said.
Sure enough the door opened. But it wasn’t Tyler, it was Emily! While we were at the wedding Emily secretly returned home from Whitehorse, where she is currently living. I was shocked to see her answering the door. Honestly, I thought I was either dreaming, hallucinating or having a stroke.
So here was my response. It has been a great source of amusement for my family. Warning, if you decide to watch this please turn down the volume!
Emily returned to Whitehorse a week later, but the excitement of her surprise visit is something I will never, ever, forget.
It got me wondering, “Don’t all parents act that way when their kid unexpectedly shows up?” My response wasn’t that nuts, was it? Loud maybe, but not that out of the norm, right?
I couldn't help but think about the response of a certain parent in scripture. Do you remember the story Jesus told about the prodigal son? Certainly those were different circumstances, but in that story we read about a father whose son had left home. The father had no idea if he would ever see his son again. As a parent I am sure his heart ached.
Then one day, when he least expected it, he saw the figure of a man in the distance walking his way. Not unlike me, this father couldn’t believe his eyes. His beloved son had come home! I love what it says in Luke 15:24, “So they began to celebrate.”
Why were they celebrating? They were celebrating because of love - the love of a parent for a child.
As great as our love is for our children, imagine the love God our Heavenly Father has for us, His children. God proved that love by giving His only begotten Son, Jesus, as a sacrifice for us. God the Father did that so that all of His children could one day come home.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
God the Father, loves us so very much! Now stay with me on this… what if we gave God a surprise visit? What if on an ordinary day, not a Sunday morning or at Prayer at the Cross on a Tuesday morning, we pay God a surprise visit in the Spirit? How you ask?
Pray, and talk to God. Spend time in God’s Word. Praise and worship God in a song. Do it at a different place and at an unusual time. God will love it, and you’ll be blessed as well.
This Sunday we are beginning a new sermon series called PRAYER. Whether you are a student or not, September marks a time of new beginnings. What a wonderful way to start the school year than learning to pray Powerful and Passionate Prayers!
Join us and bring a friend!