The God of Surprises 令人惊奇的上帝
Dexu Xia
At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:20
The convention center darkened, and thousands of us university students bowed our heads as the speaker led us in a prayer of commitment. As he welcomed those to stand who felt called to serve in overseas missions, I could feel my friend Lynette leave her seat and knew she was promising to live and serve in the Philippines. Yet I felt no urge to stand. Seeing the needs in the United States, I wanted to share God’s love in my native land. But a decade later, I would make my home in Britain, seeking to serve God among the people He gave me as my neighbors. My ideas about how I would live my life changed when I realized that God invited me on an adventure different from what I had anticipated.
Jesus often surprised those He met, including the fishermen He called to follow Him. When Christ gave them a new mission to fish for people, Peter and Andrew left their nets “at once” and followed Him (Matthew 4:20), and James and John “immediately” left their boat (v. 22). They set off on this new adventure with Jesus, trusting Him yet not knowing where they were going.
God, of course, calls many people to serve Him right where they are! Whether staying or going, we can all look to Him expectantly to surprise us with wonderful experiences and opportunities to live for Him in ways we might never have dreamed possible.
By: Amy Boucher Pye
How do you react when you hear stories of God at work? How has He surprised you?
Loving Jesus, You call people to follow You in unique and amazing ways. Teach me to discern Your voice and respond to Your call.
他们就立刻舍了网，跟从了祂。—马太福音4章20节
会议中心暗了下来，讲员带领众人做献身的祷告，我们上千位大学生全都低着头。当他邀请有感动去海外宣教的人从座位上站起来的时候，我感觉我朋友丽妮离开了座位，我知道她决心要去菲律宾生活和服事上帝。但我却没有起身的冲动，因为我看见美国的需要，我想要留在家乡宣扬上帝的爱。但十年后，我却定居在英国，试着在上帝赐给我的邻里当中，服事上帝。当我发现上帝邀我踏上的新旅程，与我原本的期望有所不同，我的生活各个层面都有所改变。
耶稣经常让与祂相遇的人感到惊奇，包括祂呼召来跟随祂的那群渔夫。当耶稣赋予他们新的使命，要他们得人如得鱼一样，彼得和安得烈就“立刻”舍了网（马太福音4章20节），雅各和约翰也“立刻”舍了船（22节），去跟随耶稣。他们顺从耶稣的带领，踏上这全新的旅程，就算他们不知道将往何处去，却仍全心信靠耶稣。
当然，上帝呼召许多人在他们所在之处服事祂！但不论留在原地或前往别处，我们都能期待上帝会使我们惊奇，祂将用各种美好的经验和各种机会，以我们可能从未梦想过的方式为祂而活。
作者： 潘艾梅
当你听人分享上帝动工的事时，
你的反应是什么？上帝曾如何使你惊奇？
在上帝的恩典中，我们受邀与世人分享福音的好消息，为祂而活。 点击阅读：
慈爱的耶稣，祢以独特且奇妙的方式呼召人跟随祢。
求祢教导我认出祢的声音，回应祢的呼召