Surprise!

I’m not very good at surprises. I like to be in control, but gardening both at home and on my allotment has taught me that there are so many things I can’t control. I have learnt the hard way that often what I plan just doesn’t happen.
 
My garden never ceases to surprise me; one moment I’m despairing because my Apricot tree has flowered at what I considered a ridiculously early time, and then I look and the tree is laden with fruit! Those precious little blossoms have been fertilised, and survived the wind and cold nights, to produce what at this point in time seems to be a really good potential crop. If you read my blog in March, I was reflecting on my tree and how it might turn out. I wasn’t too hopeful at that point, but now I’m counting my Kilner jars, hopeful of a bumper crop.
 
The Sunday before last was Pentecost, when we celebrated the birthday of the church. It’s when the disciples, after Jesus had ascended into heaven, were waiting in Jerusalem for something to happen. It says in Acts 2 

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise came from heaven. It sounded like a strong wind blowing. This noise filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like flames of fire. The flames were separated and stood over each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages. The Holy Spirit was giving them the power to speak these languages.” (Acts 2:1-4)

We know that Jesus had promised that the Holy Spirit would come and the prophet Joel had prophesised about it hundreds of years earlier, but the experience must have been amazing, and as always God’s timing was amazing too:

“There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.” (Acts 2:5,6)

Peter spoke to the crowd and

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:41)

Now there are billions of Christians all around the world!
 
The disciples had been on a roller coaster ride of emotions over the last weeks, not knowing what was coming next. But God had His plan; He was not surprised by any of it. And we too can trust in God’s plan for us as we try to navigate our way through life.
 
I love this verse from Jeremiah 29:11:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Image by Bill Shortridge from Pixabay