Can God be surprised?

Surprise! A witty turn of phrase. A dramatic plot twist. A ground breaking discovery that inspires a new field of science. A new design that sets in motion an art revolution. A student surprises a teacher with a brilliant insight or unknown talent. A setback that opens up fresh possibilities. We need, we live by, we love, we delight in surprises. Higher Education is driven by surprising discoveries. Eureka College is named for them!

But can God be surprised? If God is omniscient, and the future is set, is it even possible to give God an unexpected delight? Yet we are created in God’s image — I believe that last bit is true. So what if God can be surprised? Perhaps the real problem is our theology, our concept about who God is and how God is. Have we boxed God in, or ourselves?

Lord, in your mercy, hear my questions.

With our limited understanding of you and your omniscience, God, do we preclude you from the joy of surprise? Or are we so utterly predictable, that we bore you? You surprise us with your grace, repeatedly. Are you trying to tell us something? Are you trying to tell us that you are free, truly free, and that we have been set free? Like your children created in your image, can you delight as we surprise you, or have we blinded ourselves with an assumed theology that freezes the future?

What if we truly believe — that we delight in believing, perhaps for the first time — that we surprise you?

What if we believed that you are joyous when we choose community over brokenness?

What if we believed that you are elatedly happy when we, despite our brokenness, choose to draw the table bigger to include the marginalized?

What if we believed that you stand in awe when we share power with the powerless, despite our need for control?

That you might even shout in amazement, and then proudly listen in silence with us, when we shut our mouths, open our ears, humble our hearts, listen, and put others’ needs before our own?

That you might glow with fresh glory when we loosen our grip, and lay aside our need to be right, and accept that the future is not ours, but is, in truth, rich with possibility, even infinite possibilities for a future better than our current view allows us to see, made possible by you as our companion. Our dreams for us are not your dreams for us. Not even close, Infinite God.

In your mercy, Lord, surprise us. Amen.