(photo by Raideres. Used by permission.)

The journey of lent is not a journey of morbid self-mortification. Rather, it is the wilderness path of letting go of our own visions of grandeur that we might be surprised afresh by the goodness of God.

Jesus takes us by surprise.

The lovingkindness of God overtakes us with sudden hilarity. All our serious pretensions fall under the weight of love, and we are freed to step lightly in the Breath that blows where He will.

Sitting in a counseling session, I listened to the grief of man wracked by sickness and depression. I faced him. I gave him my serious attention. I wiped my brow. Without realizing it, I spread ink from a leaked pen all across my face.

He laughed and laughed and laughed.

In the grace of my good Jesus, He made light of my serious striving. His gentle joke freed us to laugh in our wondrous world of ink and pens and faces. The dark spell over my friend fell away in the sudden interruption of love.

Jesus takes us by surprise.

Saul sets out on a mission from God: guard Torah, preserve truth, expose blasphemy. A voice penetrates his heart with Light and Light and Light, and flames of Love consume this righteous zeal.

Blinded by unrelenting Light, Paul beholds a vision of God that disorients and reorients him to the Way of the Father. In a flash, his world comes to an end, his world begins.

Jesus takes us by surprise.

Two men stumbling in the gloom of hopes dashed. The kingdom did not come. The Lord did not vindicate his people. The wicked did triumph.

They travel toward Emmaus, they pour out their grief, they share in ache of a lost friend. Stepping into their sadness, a stranger appears with story upon story upon story. He unveils, reveals, and exposes true Light from true Light. In a flash of insight, they behold the hope of the years.

Jesus takes us by surprise.

Lazarus hears his name and awakes to the surprise of being alive.
Mary meets an angel and gives birth to the surprise of all things made new.
Peter lets down his net and catches the surprise of becoming a fisher of men.
I saw a sunrise at the end of a dark night, and stepped into the surprise of a world made new.

Jesus takes us.
And when he takes us.
It is sheer surprise.
Our eyes can see.
Our ears can hear.

In the surprise of our utter powerlessness, we behold the only One who holds our future. And in the mystery of His Grace, we can finally rest.

He is coming
And when He comes,
He will catch you by surprise.

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