Out of the Ordinary

"Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife,

because she was unable to have children.

The LORD answered Isaac's prayer,

and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.

But the two children struggled with each other in her womb.

So she went to ask the LORD about it.

'Why is this happening to me?' she asked.

And the LORD told her,

'The sons in your womb will become two nations.

From the very beginning,

the two nations will be rivals.

One nation will be stronger than the other;

and the older son will serve your younger son.'"

Genesis 25:21-23 NLT

The mockingbird landed on the fern that swung gracefully in the springtime breeze where it hung on my family's front porch.  Spotting the unusual happening through my front window, I perked up.  "Lord," I prayed as I watched the scene unfold before me,  "I've never seen that kind of bird land in our ferns; it's usually the finches that come calling.  What does this mean?"

Soon, I received the sense that something was not right.  As the day wore on, God revealed to me the meaning of the rare sighting:  The mockingbird was targeting the eggs the finches had laid in a carefully-made nest snuggled in the center of the hanging plant.  The Lord was using this scene to warn me that the children in our afterschool program were in some kind of jeopardy.  

As the kids arrived later that day, I saw the threat:  the neighbor's brother who always seemed to be watching our home while he smoked on the porch, openly frolicked with his girlfriend while the rest of the family was away at work and school, and seemed to be generally up to no good was talking to one of the kids as they passed by his house on the way to ours.  Feeling a sense of foreboding, I later talked to my neighbor about the antics of her brother, and soon he was packing up his belongings and moving on.  God had used the sign to alert me to the threat this man posed.

When things happen that are out of the ordinary, it is wise to go to God for enlightenment.

Lesson

I arrived right on time for my weekly Bible study at my friend Karen's home.  Not seeing my usual greeter, their energetic Boxer-Pit Bull mix, I wondered if Buddy might be tied up in the back yard.  Distracted by my thoughts, I opened the door and was surprised by a set of muddy paws scrambling up into my Yukon.  "Buddy, you're all muddy!"  I exclaimed, the anxious tone in my voice only serving to heighten the animal's energy level.  "Sit!"  I ordered in my sternest voice.  My command only seemed to add to his excitement at my presence.  I carefully exited my vehicle and he proceeded to anoint me with mud.  I finally made it to the top of the stairs where I climbed behind the railing erected to keep him off the porch. Just then, my friend opened the door and came out on the porch, "Hi, Cindy!  Oh, what happened?"

After cleaning up, we talked about the incident.  "Usually, Buddy does not act this way.  All the other times I've come to visit, he waits for me to get out of the car before he greets me, and he never jumps up on me."

As we sought the Lord's guidance, He showed us the kingdom lesson found in the muddy Buddy incident;  We often leave the door open for Satan's work in our lives, many times without even realizing it.  Letting anger fester, for instance, gives Satan a foothold in my life, and withholding forgiveness also makes me vulnerable to his destructive work.  (Ephesians 4:27, 2 Corinthians 2:11)  Instead of staying alert and keeping submitted to the Lord, I easily fall into temptation before I even know what is happening, just like I unknowingly opened the door to a waiting muddy dog. (1 Peter 5:8,James 4:7)

Just as God used the unusual incident of the dog jumping into my truck as a sign to teach my friend and I an important lesson about His kingdom, He uses all kinds of things around me to enlighten me about Him and His kingdom ways. (Romans 1:20)  The only questions is this:  Am I paying attention?

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to teach me kingdom lessons.

Prophecy

Her abdomen erupted as if there was a battle taking place within her womb.  Sleep was nearly impossible since there was near-constant movement within.  I didn't know bearing children would be so disruptive to my normal life!  I can scarcely get anything done with all the commotion occurring within my belly.

Instead of going to a doctor or consulting the older, more experienced women, Rebekah went to the Lord for an explanation.  While a human may have given her a physical reason for her unusual pregnancy, the Lord gave her a prophecy concerning her condition:  There were two rival nations represented by the twins within her womb. (Genesis 25:21-23)

While it has been said by some that God does not give prophecies any more, I tend to disagree.  God's character is unchanging.  Even though I have the benefit of His indwelling Spirit, He is still free to give me a heads up about what is to come using any means necessary. (Acts 2:17-18) Sometimes, like the previously mentioned mockingbird in the fern, He alerts me to a future event using unusual events happening in my life.

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to warn of upcoming happenings or to reveal what is yet to come.

Understanding

He set off down the road riding his trusty donkey.  Soon, however, the animal seemed to turn against him, veering off into a field.  "What is wrong with you?  Get back onto the road!"  The angry man cried as he beat his beast.

Soon he found himself on a stretch of road between two walls.  Suddenly, his donkey pressed up against the wall, crushing his foot.  "Arrrgggg!  What has gotten into you?  I think you broke my foot!"  he raged as he liberally used his cane upon the beast's back.

The final straw was placed when the donkey simply laid down in the middle of a narrow lane.  "That's it!  I'm gonna kill you!"  No sooner had the words left his mouth than the animal began to speak to him.  "What have I ever done to you that you would treat me so cruelly?"

"You made me look like an idiot!  If I had a sword, I'd have stabbed you dead on the spot!"

"Have I ever done anything like this in all the years I have served you?"

The man's anger subsided and he said, "No."

Then he could see what the donkey had perceived all along:  A mighty warrior angel stood in the roadway, sword drawn, blocking the way. (paraphrased from Numbers 22:21-34)

Just as Balaam didn't see what was really happening to cause his donkey to balk, so there is much in my life that I do not perceive.  Lost keys seem like an aggravation to me but could be the means to slow me down and protect me from an accident that would happen if I was on the road at the wrong time.

Needed surgery being cancelled at the last minute seems like a disappointment but in reality, God is protecting me from unforeseen danger.  A lack of funds necessitating a call to a creditor seems like an embarrassment and hardship, but if I could see with spiritual eyes I would understand how God is using it to put me in touch with the sister in Christ on the other end of the phone line.

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to provide understanding to the work of His mighty hand in my life.

I can either view unexpected events as a curiosity, or I can seek God's guidance.  When I go to to Him, I may find a hidden lesson,  a warning regarding my future, or a bit of understanding hidden within the circumstances.  For this reason, out of the ordinary events become a window into God's kingdom.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will pay attention to what God is teaching me this day.

When am I apt to ignore the unusual, assuming it's just a quirk?

How do I forget that God is constantly at work all around me?