Some people love surprises. I’m not one of them. When I’m going to get a snack and I ask Diane if she wants anything, sometimes she’ll say, “Surprise me.” I don’t say that. It’s not that I’m never surprised. I’m surprised quite often. I think I know how things are going to be and then they go another direction and I’m surprised. I like predictable better than surprises but that doesn’t mean my life is predictable. In fact, when we walk with God, we often see the unpredictable because God’s ways are not our ways, and our ways are not His ways. It’s not that God is looking for ways to keep us on our toes. He doesn’t surprise us in the same way that a kid does when she jumps up from behind the couch and says “boo!” God is active in ways that we don’t always see coming. We think that strength wins, sometimes weakness wins. We think that money makes people happy; some of the happiest people I’ve ever met had very little. We think healthy people will live long and sick people will perish, sometimes it’s exactly the opposite. Why is this? From Hannah’s prayer we learn at least one reason, so that we remember that human strength and ability is no guarantee of success. We need the Lord and His strength because we are created and dependent beings. It is unhealthy and even dangerous to think that we can flourish apart from the blessing and care of the Lord. So, if you like surprises in life, you’ll have plenty. If you don’t like surprises, you’ll have plenty. None of this is random fate. God is in the details reminding us He is near. That shouldn’t surprise us, that should cause praise.