Expect the Unexpected

As a part of a recent 21 day fast, I believed God for a number of things which generally included honoring Him by offering my body as a living sacrifice (see Romans 12:1) and by doing more of His commands presented in the fasting chapter (see Isaiah 58).  On this journey of believing and expecting God to move mightily, I received an unexpected blessing.  An avid coffee drinker of 3-4 cups per day, decaf if available, regular if not. It didn't really matter.  I thought I was okay in the liquids area since I only drank water, coffee and tea.  It was the food intake that I needed to pay much more attention to.

Well, guess what.  On the seventh day of the fast, my regular routine changed.  At work, I went into the refreshment center to get this first cup of coffee for the day.  I could smell it brewing, could feel the warmth trickling down my throat, could relish and savor the sweetness from the one Splenda packet.  What I so expected, I didn't get.  I got the most unexpected something, can't even think of a good word to describe it.  So, surprise has to do.  Surprisingly, I did not want the coffee, so much so that I didn't even make the cup.  What did I do?  I turned and walked away.  Didn't know what to think, so I didn't.  About the time that normal routine would have me go back to the refreshment center for a second cup, I did just that. Then the light came on -- my desire for coffee had been lifted.   The unexpected in the form of a wonderful blessing had happened.  God had moved on my behalf unexpectedly.  A decades old desire, that I neither asked for nor expected nor felt the need to be set free from, was taken away.

Thank you God for reminding me that I should more often expect from You the unexpected.  Thank you Father for helping me to remember my memory scripture from that fast period taken from Ephesians 3:20-21 -- Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.