{"id":8356,"date":"2004-12-18T18:12:12","date_gmt":"2004-12-18T23:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/?p=8356"},"modified":"2011-07-06T08:28:47","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T13:28:47","slug":"4011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2004\/12\/18\/4011\/","title":{"rendered":"God Comes When We Least Expect Him"},"content":{"rendered":"

WESTERVILLE, OH (December 18, 2004)\u00a0 – Editor’s note: In preparation for the\u00a0 Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing seven\u00a0 devotionals that originally appeared in local church newsletters and are\u00a0 being published here by permission. The following comes from pastor Tim\u00a0 Heintzelman of Faith Covenant Church.<\/em><\/p>\n

By Tim Heintzelman<\/p>\n
At some point during this Advent season, we will most likely sing “Come\u00a0 Thou Long Expected Jesus.” However, for many of us, it will not be the\u00a0 expectedness of Jesus’ coming this year that may grab our hearts and minds.I get the sense that amidst all of our careful preparations and\u00a0 thoughtful planning, we do not suspect that God may have a few surprises\u00a0 in store for us. Doubtless, we have probably already circled a few dates\u00a0 on our busy calendars and have already intentioned to attend a couple of\u00a0 parties without realizing that God, like “Candid Camera,” will be showing up when we least expect it.<\/em><\/div>\n

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How do I know this?<\/p>\n
A quick look at the scriptures reveals that God delights in coming to\u00a0 ordinary people amidst their day-to-day activities. Moses was tending\u00a0 sheep when he saw a burning bush. Gideon was threshing wheat when God\u00a0 commissioned him to free his enslaved people. Saul was looking for some\u00a0 donkeys that had strayed away from home when Samuel was told that this\u00a0 young Benjamite was to be Israel’s first king.<\/p>\n
Elisha was plowing with 12 yoke of oxen when he received his calling to\u00a0 be a prophet. Amos was picking the fruit of sycamore trees when God gave\u00a0 him a new assignment. Mary was going about her daily life when Gabriel\u00a0 told her about God’s plan of salvation. The shepherds were simply\u00a0 looking after their flocks when the wonderful news of Jesus’ birth lit\u00a0 up the night sky.<\/p>\n
God hasn’t changed. He still comes to His people bring news of hope, joy\u00a0 and deliverance.<\/p>\n
Therefore, God is coming to us . . . this year . . . in the very midst\u00a0 of our responsibilities, work, plans and preparations. Now this is not\u00a0 to say that we won’t be naturally drawn to celebrating our Lord’s first\u00a0 coming as a baby born in Bethlehem. Nor is it to suggest that at least some of our thoughts this year will not turn towards\u00a0 anticipating His glorious Second Coming (truly, that event can’t come\u00a0 soon enough for most of us!).<\/p>\n
Friends, I take great joy in knowing that during this season of Advent,\u00a0 God will be coming to us anew. And even if we are wise enough to expect\u00a0 His unexpectedness . . . my sense is that He is still able to surround\u00a0 us with His boundless capacity for wonder, peace and love.<\/div>\n
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Copyright \u00a9 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Report This Post<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WESTERVILLE, OH (December 18, 2004)\u00a0 – Editor’s note: In preparation for the\u00a0 Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing seven\u00a0 devotionals that originally appeared in local church newsletters and are\u00a0 being published here by permission. The following comes from pastor Tim\u00a0 Heintzelman of Faith Covenant Church. By Tim Heintzelman Report This Post<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nGod Comes When We Least Expect Him - Covenant Newswire Archives<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/newswire\/2004\/12\/18\/4011\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"God Comes When We Least Expect Him - Covenant Newswire Archives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"WESTERVILLE, OH (December 18, 2004)\u00a0 – Editor’s note: In preparation for the\u00a0 Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing seven\u00a0 devotionals that originally appeared in local church newsletters and are\u00a0 being published here by permission. 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