day 2554: Expecting The Unexpected

 “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.”

I read an article about what we know about Jupiter and what we don’t. We knew that Jupiter had moons but it wasn’t until December of 1996 that we learned that the moon, Europa, had an unexpected magnetic field, which even more unexpectedly, was pointed in a direction that we wouldn’t have thought before the discovery.  There was a lot of unexpected happening from this experiment in 1996.  The Chief Scientist of the project, who is still in charge, today said at the time, “This is unexpected and that’s wonderful!”  But, as I read her quote, it was even more unexpected that at 90 years old she still leads this group and is still marveling in the wonder of the unexpected.  How many of us lose that wonderment, a lot sooner and a lot younger than her?  We bore on jobs where we have been for a couple of years.  There is a real challenge in being committed to expecting and relishing the new and the unexpected.  When we stop doing so, we are ending the experiment.

Paul tells us that we can also wonder and be grateful to God in the unexpected that comes our way.  He tells us that in these trials, problems and challenges that we can build endurance and grow.  So, can we be open to the unexpected, even to the point of wondering and rejoicing!

Reference: Romans 5:3 (New Living Translation)