Expecting and Expecting God

A little over a month ago my wife delivered our first baby, a wonderful girl that we have named Riva. Now before the event I must admit I had somewhat romantic ideals about the miracle of birth. Of course I never would say it as such, but my feelings were something along the lines of that at the moment our baby was born that the room would suddenly become brighter, we would hear angels, and it would be like the face of God was smiling at us.

People always talked about how the birth of a baby is such a miracle and one of those incredible experiences where God seems so real. So that was what I was expecting.

So what did I get - relief and happiness. Relief that it was all over for my wife and that we had a healthy baby; happiness that it was all over for my wife and that we had a healthy baby. To be honest God, miracles, and singing angels was the last thing on my mind.

But isn't that the way it is sometimes with us and God. We expect Him to show up and do certain things, and yet reality is normally much different from that. However, we never stop with the expectations. I was so happy and proud of my wife and my new little daughter. As I mentioned, I didn't even think of the divine at the delivery. Later I did, and appreciated the little miracle that I held in my arms, but at the time the divine was far from my mind. It would have been a shame if I had let my expectaions interfere with the joy of reality.

God is going to show up in your life as He often shows up in mine; but not always as we expect Him to and often in the most surprising and unexpected ways. And isn't that the joy of the mystery and greatness of our God?