John 6:16-21

John 6:16-21
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 On Sunday mornings, I go to church, expecting to have my attention directed towards God, to be challenged by the Word, to spend time in worship with a community.  When I leave church, my attention often wanders, and sometimes I forget that Jesus can show up whenever and wherever he likes, often working beyond the realm of my expectations.  Do you know that strange feeling you get when you meet a work colleague at the grocery store, or an old friend in an unfamiliar place -- you often have trouble placing them at first, because they're not where they should be?
  Jesus surprises us.  He surprises us through the miracles he performs in the Gospels, and he surprises us by pouring out unmerited grace and favor upon us.  He surprises us by reminding us that he is Lord of all, and that our work life and our home life and everything we do should be done in submission to his Lordship.  He surprises us by calling us to build relationships with unlikely people, or encouraging us to think about how our work or our play can be used to build his Kingdom.  He surprises us because he is teaching us that our world is not as we perceive it, but rather it is all a part of his kingdom, and he will be Lord of all -- opening our eyes to his wondrous work helps us see and engage in that.