Does God Challenge You? 5

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EXPECTATIONS

Recently others and myself were challenged again when God sent Pastor Onesmus from Kenya Africa to our little church in the hill country.

Sunday, the day of Onesmus' arrival I received this word….

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on our own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Yes… I know I have read this many times… I got it… but did I really get it? Did I really take it to heart the way I should have? 

Ever come with expectation to something? How about a movie, a destination, a new purchased item, a project, a new member of the family?

We set high expectations and low expectations.  We even set expectations of unbelief. We write them down with our invisible pens as if we are authors of our days and when these expectations are broken we are usually either discouraged or pleasantly surprised.

But then again there are other times when they are just… challenged.

I think expectations can be good but expectations we set up in our mind about how God works verses the complexity of how God really works can be hard hurtles to cross over at times….  Especially when God does the unexpected.   

Again…. If you think you have figured out how God works… watch out!!!

  

Expectations need to be on God and God alone.... not your own preconceived notions of what may or may not happen. 

EXPECTATION MEET THE UNEXPECTED

I am not certain what my expectation was... I knew there was going to be some "unconventional" happenings with Onesmus' visit but I was challenged by what God had Him do.

Some of the things seemed down right cruel and rude and MORE unconventional then I expected. 

Onesmus, hands COVERED in olive oil, began to do as directed by the Spirit, the congregation – some who came all the way from Arizona, Houston and Austin, prayed.

Onesmus would not just speak to the ailments but he would have the sick themselves speak to the ailments.  In his Kenyan accent he would say, “Cancer go back to your father!”  Deafness go back to your father! Confusion go back to your father!”  He would refer to the sickness as the devil.   “Devil go!”  He would have the people repeat after Him…

He would do all kinds of unorthodox things such as blowing on people, spitting in one person’s eyes, pouring olive oil in a person’s ears and then pouring water on their back, rubbing his hands on their body, and some would scream in terrible pain…. 

Yet when these seemingly cruel, rude and strange things were over- people were healed of their ailments, sicknesses, solicitations and oppressions.  And they had smiles on their faces...  What smiles?  How could this be?  What just happened?