Why Are We Surprised?

“I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring.” Isaiah 44:3

“I will put my Spirit within you.” Ezekiel 36:27

“And it shall come to pass afterward,
    that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” Joel 2:28,29

“You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”Acts 1:5,8

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

“And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, ‘How is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?… We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’ And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’” Acts 2:1-4,6-7,11-12

Caught up in the frenzy of recent happenings- the crucifixion, reappearance, and ascension of their leader, and anxious anticipation of what was to come without Him present- the followers of Jesus were bewildered, amazed, and perplexed at the Spirit’s remarkable manifestation. Yes, Jesus Himself had prepared them, and the scriptures had informed them. Luke in hindsight put these messages together, but in their day to day, they’d failed to connect the dots. The tyranny of the urgent had upended perspective and masked the truth God was unfolding.

“You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29

We are similarly caught off guard thru varying reasons and decisions. We choose to pay attention to what we prefer to know. We’re up to date on current news (someone else deems vital), cultural trends, and famous opinions, but don’t understand God’s perspective. We relish sound bites and regurgitate group think while remaining biblically illiterate. We let sorrow, regret, fear, or anger run rampant, and lose hold of our spiritual plumb.

We become dumbfounded by wrongly assuming certain behavior begets perfect marriage and children. We get perplexed when smug claims to rights to advancement, success, or retribution do not come to pass. We question suffering and God’s withholding mercy, yet are ignorant of God’s higher purposes. Of course we’re surprised at unusual events if we never study and stay grounded in God’s ways, warnings, and promises. When did we last seek His view on current circumstances? (Job 23:10; Isaiah 55:8-9; Romans 8:28)

With what do we fill our minds first thing? First-hand immersion (not someone else’s take) in the scriptures provides heavenly lenses through which to see and understand life. What do our actions reveal about our priorities? The devil will distract us, but we can ask for the Spirit’s help and desire to make practical changes in His power.

Lord, give me Your mind and ongoing commitment to know, trust, and live Your word.