Surpirse!

Surprises can be fun. Bev and I surprised our daughter recently by showing up unannounced on her birthday. Her face, smile and tears made the 8 hour trip more than worthwhile!

Surprises can be unnerving. Like when the young husband thought it would be fun to jump out from behind a door and surprise his wife. The bruises on his body will prove to be a good reminder that he might want to try something else!

The most pleasant surprises are often the little, unexpected things.

A card or note sent not because of a special occasion but just to surprise your spouse with love. A surprise romantic dinner with all the arrangements made ahead of time. Just doing something you were not asked to do that you know would be a grateful surprise.

The sad and subtle path of many marriages is that they seem to loose that surprise element of their relationship. Each spouse seems to be increasingly consumed with legitimate responsibilities that make it difficult. It almost feels childish to play the surprise game when there are so many adult things going on!

What a difference a surprise can make!

Is this not similar to our marriage to Christ? The element of surprise was an almost daily blessing in the beginning. Jesus was pursuing us with that creative love to find new and surprising ways to show us his love was real and always present.

So what happened?

It's what happens in so many of our marriages. We tend to take each other for granted. We presume on their creative love and not surprise them with ours.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." I John 4:7

Let's get back to our first love and be renewed and surprised that we might surprise our husband or wife with the surprising love of Christ.