​Nudging us for unexpected preparedness.

Scripture:
When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
Luke 7:37-39 NLT

Application:
When we spend so much time planning something like a dinner, trip, or outing for family or friends, anything that is unexpected is unwelcome. Stress levels are high already. Yet upon reflection, most of the memories we keep are of unexpected events that happen during pre-planned activities.
Maybe we should expect the unexpected.
Maybe we should even sometimes celebrate the unexpected.
Many people expected the Messiah to come and use His strong might to bring swift change to world order and put God's chosen in their high place (arguably, the Jewish nation still awaits this). But keeping our eyes on our expected plans blinds many to the fact that the Messiah conquered in an unexpected Way. The lowly Cross, not sword, was His weapon. Until we meditate long and hard on the world-changing significance of the term "He is risen," we might find ourselves waiting for the wrong things and miss out on the salvation and blessings already won for us.
The kingdom is now.

Prayer:
Nudge us please, Lord, so that we don't miss the messages You send us at unexpected times through unexpected people or events. We want to follow through. Amen.