Pause

Advent is here. A time to hope. A season of waiting, of looking for the coming of our King, born in a manger.
Breathe deeply and prepare your heart for the ways God will surprise you in this season.
In stillness, embrace anticipation.

Ponder

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways…
because of the tender mercy of our God,
    whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

I love surprises. Much to my poor husband's chagrin, I simply cannot participate in the practical tradition of telling him what to get me for Christmas. I know it’s sensible — and many people prefer it — but for me, Christmas without surprises is like a cupcake without frosting. I’ll still enjoy it, but I feel like I’ve missed out on the best part.

When I read the stories of Christ’s birth, I’m convinced I’m in good company — because God loves surprises too. Take Zechariah, an otherwise unknown priest who showed up for his annual temple service and found himself standing face to face with an angel. One ordinary day… and suddenly, the surprise of his life: a promise that he would father a son in his old age.

God’s surprises so often come when hope is gone and dreams have died. Zechariah had let go of his longing for a child. Beyond that, the people he served had not heard from God in over 400 years — ten generations with no prophets, no clouds by day, no fires by night, no temples filled with smoke, no Sinai trembling with glory.

But these are the moments God loves to astonish us — those fullness-of-time breakthroughs, when the living Word becomes flesh, our yearnings are satisfied, and wonder settles in our souls. These are the moments we begin to see how God is always working, weaving together a plan we could never have conceived.

Advent invites us to ponder the story of a faithful priest and a waiting people who endured four centuries of sovereign silence.
May we hold fast to hope and take delight in a Father who, when least expected, breaks into our world with glorious surprise.

Pray

Are there areas of your life where you have given up hope of God breaking in?
Do you long for some fulfillment of a promise, some sign that God is here for you?
If so, reflect on this story and offer these things to the Lord, asking Him to give you fresh hope in Him.
Be honest with Him — but end with an affirmation that He will accomplish His purposes in His time, just as He did with Zechariah.

Practice

Plan a way to surprise someone who might least expect it today.
As you experience the joy of doing so, reflect on how God takes pleasure in bestowing surprises upon you — His beloved child.

Tender mercy often arrives when we least expect it.