A few months ago, God dropped a word into my spirit: Unconventional. He began to show me my life’s journey and all of the unusual experiences I’ve had. He showed me how I’ve felt different, unusual, abnormal, weird, even strange for most of my life.
When I looked up its definition, I saw that it meant “not bound by or in accordance with convention”, “being out of the ordinary”. I was also surprised to learn some of its synonyms are “nonconformist” and “unorthodox”. Well, those words definitely describe how it seems my life has been unfolding, especially over the past few years.
Then I began to think about how God moved in unconventional ways in scripture.
I think about Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was 75 years old when God spoke to him and told him to get out of his country, leave his family, and go to a place that He would show him. That is a giant leap of faith! Not only that, but while they were childless and well past child-bearing years, God told Abraham in Genesis 15 they were going to have a son, and his descendants would be innumerable. But it didn’t happen immediately. When Isaac was born, Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was in her 90’s. Definitely unconventional.
I think about David’s story. In 1 Samuel 16, God spoke to the prophet Samuel and told him to go to a man named Jesse’s house in Bethlehem, and there he would find and anoint the new king of Israel. Jesse brought seven of his sons in front of Samuel – except young David, who was out in the field tending sheep. When God told Samuel that none of the seven sons were the anointed one, Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons. Jesse admitted he did have another son – the youngest, and Samuel told him to send for him. It seems David’s own father didn’t think much of him, not even to initially be included when his older brothers were being presented in consideration of being king of Israel. To me, it shows God made an unconventional move by choosing young David to be king. Even Samuel thought one of his older brothers would be the chosen one, given their outer appearance. But God looks at the heart. Who would have suspected He would choose as Israel’s king the person who was the youngest, last in line, dismissed by his family, and who spent his days in the field with the sheep?
Even Joseph’s journey speaks to me about God’s unconventional ways. When Joseph was a teenager, God gave him two dreams that prophesied he would somehow be ruler over his family – including his older brothers, who already hated him because their father Jacob loved him. Their jealousy set into motion a painful but powerful journey of destiny for Joseph. But God’s word came to pass. By His divine providence, Joseph eventually became second in command to the pharaoh, becoming governor over all of Egypt. When the foretold seven years of famine came, Jacob sent his older brothers to Egypt to receive aide for their family. They had no idea that Joseph was the person in charge they needed to see. Because of where God positioned Joseph, he was able to move his entire family to Egypt and provide for them in abundant ways.
And what about Jesus! Being born from a virgin is the most unconventional moment of all. Only God Himself can defy the laws of nature (which He created) by coming down from Heaven, wrapping Himself in flesh, and placing Himself inside the womb of a woman who was still a virgin.
I think about Jesus healing a man’s hand on the Sabbath in Mark 3:1-5. The Pharisees were so caught up with religion that they had no compassion on the man with a withered hand. When Jesus asked them if it was lawful on the Sabbath for man to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill it, they kept silent. The hardness of their hearts angered Jesus, and he healed the man’s hand right in front of them. He broke the convention of man to show He is the Lord God all day, every day – even on the Sabbath!
The Bible is filled with moments of God doing unconventional things. I love it because it allows us to stretch our faith, to believe Him for things impossible for man to do on his own. I love it because it reminds me He is Creator of everything, and all things are in His hand. He doesn’t need the laws of man or man’s permission to accomplish anything He wants to do in the earth; or in our lives. He will defy the laws He created to protect us, provide for us, heal us, bless us. I’m so glad we serve an unconventional God.
Almighty God, I thank You for who You are. You are so wonderful and so amazing. Mighty are Your ways. I thank You for Your hand that is upon us. Because You are with us and in us Lord, we will not walk in fear. We trust that Your plans are to prosper us and not harm us. We love You and bless Your holy name. Amen
