A surprise is ‘an unexpected or astonishing event or fact’. God frequently deals with us in unexpected or astonishing ways, but this is largely because of the difference between His thoughts and ways and ours (see Is 55:8-9). Because He is God, He knows everything and therefore nothing can take Him by surprise! As Castings Crowns sing,
‘When I’m lost in the mystery,
To You my future is a memory
Cause You’re already there,
You’re already there.
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You’re already there
You’re already there.’ (‘Already There’, Casting Crowns)
God’s omniscience is a blessing to us. It means we know nothing can happen to us that will take God by surprise. All the chaos of our lives is actually part of God’s picture-perfect plan and we can be sure that He is working for our good in every situation. (Rom 8:28) It may well not look like this at the time (I can imagine Joseph wondering how fleeing to Egypt from a murderous king could be part of God’s plan), but far from being terrifying, God’s omniscience provides a framework of stability for our lives.
