When things don't turn out as expected

Our granddaughter, Beth, was born in May last year.  When we were visiting her and her parents recently we were told that Beth had been chosen to play the part of an angel in the church nativity play.  Now Beth can look rather angelic, and at times she behaves in an angelic sort of way, but as with all children, it's not always the case.  She doesn't always respond to instructions, and we wondered how things would turn out.  Sadly, we were not able to be there to witness her dramatic debut, but from what we understand, things didn't quite go as expected.  This is her mum's report via Facebook:

Beth's first nativity - surprisingly allocated the roll of an angel. Not only did she miss the angel section by wandering off, later on she stole baby Jesus from his manger! 

I must admit that even though Beth's nativity play debut didn't go quite as expected, her antics have caused quite some amusement.  I believe that baby Jesus was eventually retrieved and placed back in the manger!

Many years ago there was a series of programmes on the TV with the title, "Tales of the Unexpected."   Each programme featured an ending with an unexpected twist.  In one of my sermons yesterday we were looking at how life doesn't always work out as we had hoped or expected; specifically, we looked at the life of John The Baptist.  He seemed to have everything going for him: his birth was prophesied by an angel, his conception was miraculous (his mother, Elizabeth, was thought to be barren and beyond child-bearing age); his ministry as a forerunner of the Messiah was prophesied by the Old Testament prophets, and he had a clear calling from God.  And yet, by the time he was in his early 30s he was languishing in a prison cell, having been arrested because he had upset King Herod.  In due course Herod had John beheaded.

John's death seemed to make no sense.  He had dedicated his life to serving God and to proclaiming the words which God has placed in his heart.  He had been faithful to God's calling on his life.  Jesus himself said, 'I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived.' (Matthew 11:11).  Yet John never walked out of that prison cell alive.  There were probably times during John's imprisonment when he thought to himself, 'I never thought my life would turn out like this.'

Perhaps many people have such thoughts at times during their lives.  Ultimately we must understand what God has said through the prophet Isaiah, '"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD' (Isaiah 55:8).  Sometimes our personal hopes and expectations will not be realised.  Sometimes we will face deep disappointments, and very difficult circumstances.  At those times we are faced with a choice: either to trust in God and believe that he knows best, or to turn away from him.  On the desk in my study is a small plaque which was a gift to me.  On it are written words from the prophecy of Jeremiah, '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."' (Jeremiah 29:11).  I hope and pray that whatever happens in my life, even when things don't turn out as unexpected, I will hang on to that wonderful promise.