This time of year brings back so many memories, and as we get closer to Halloween I am reminded of all the times I have been caught by surprise in a haunted house or while trick or treating. I can remember being so determined to get through the haunted house or get candy from all the houses without getting scared, but every year I failed to make it. There was always someone hidden somewhere that caught me by surprise and I let out a squeal of fright and frustration.

As I reflect on this season spiritually, I think we have all been caught by surprise by a number of things, whether it was COVID-19, a sudden diagnosis, a loss, an old friend coming back into your life, or something else. The truth is, we are always being surprised by something.

This week in worship, we will be reading a passage from Mark 10:46-52 when Jesus and his disciples are caught by surprise in the crowd that surrounds them. There is a voice no one expected to hear, and yet it forced Jesus to adjust the path to help this man in need.

We often get bothered by the surprises in life because they seem to deter us from the path we have planned out. Yet, this week I have been reminded of the many ways God is revealed to us in the element of surprise. It is usually when we experience something unexpected that God feels most present. Sometimes it is in those frightful and frustrating moments that we are forced to notice God. When we get stuck in the rhythms of life, or are just simply determined to do something, it can be hard for us to truly notice God and lean into that divine presence.

This week, where might God be present in an unexpected way? How might God be speaking to you out of the ordinary? How might we need to adjust our path to be closer to God?

Wherever you are, I pray that you feel a profound sense of God’s presence. Might we each be aware of God throughout our lives in the expected and unexpected ways.

I hope to see you all in worship on Sunday at 11am!

Peace and blessings, 

Pastor Kipp