A few years ago I received a phone call from my Mum. She was so excited I wondered initially what was going on.
This particular evening an elderly lady had badly cut her toe. Blood was everywhere, and Mum and another nurse were cleaning up the "mess". Mum busily reached around to her treatment trolley, which held everything to "dress" the lady's nasty cut.
Turning quickly back around again, she went to disinfect the cut toe only to find something had suddenly changed! There was absolutely no sign of the wound. She checked the other foot, looking at each toe, surmising she had made a mistake about which foot had been hurt. No cuts! No scars. No sign of anything, anywhere!
Mum and the other nurse looked at each other, then back at the woman's perfectly restored and healed toe. The skin on her toe was smooth and soft, like brand new. "It’s a miracle”, the other nurse exclaimed.
The lady whose toe they had been examining looked at Mum and stated, “Now you know, don’t you”. Then smiling and pointing heavenward, she said, “He did it!”
A change! It can come suddenly. We may have been diligently working away at something, believing and praying, and then suddenly there is a shift, an opening and movement. Suddenly, what we have been talking about and believing and looking for arrives.
I actually think God loves to do “Suddenlies”, such as healing that elderly lady’s toe. Yet most of us rarely expect them. But we also need to understand that change and “a suddenly” may be sudden to us, but God has been planning and preparing them all along.
He says, “I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I have shown them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.” (Isaiah 48:3)
A lot of things with God seem to happen suddenly!
Jesus came to the earth suddenly, and the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples suddenly (Acts 2:2). Paul on the Damascus road met Jesus suddenly (Acts 9:3); prison doors opened suddenly, healings, miracles, and deliverance from violent storms, often happened suddenly.
You could say that “Suddenly, everything changed.” Take Peter, who was thrown in prison and held in chains. Then suddenly, God shows up and delivers him. Think about
Peter’s circumstance: in chains awaiting trial, soldiers surround him, and people accuse him. The situation seemed hopeless, but not for God.
“Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.” (Acts 12:7)
“God’s suddenly” accounts in the bible are often preceded by one believing person or group of people seeking God, praying and trusting Him until the answer comes. Even though it may seem there is a waiting period for God’s answer at times, it often appears SUDDENLY when it does come.
Today whatever you face, know that God is with you. He can and will suddenly change your situation. Whatever your request, God has the answer, and He is ready, willing and able to help. He knows what you need, and He is a “right now” God. He is an expert at suddenly providing breakthrough, healing, relief, and blessing when we trust Him.
Be encouraged to lift your expectations of what He can do for you today!
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying” (Luke 2:13)
“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting”. (Acts 2:2)
“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven” (Acts 9:3)
“And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.” (Acts 16:26)
“And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me”. (Acts 22:6)
Prayer: Lord, please help me expect more and look to you for the answer. I can see from your word and from other's accounts that you often act suddenly. I trust you to get “my suddenly” to me at exactly the right time.. In Jesus name Amen.