God of Surprises (Part IV) The Father’s Delight

My son, Grant, graduates from college today.  I planned several surprises for him.  I do so love to surprise my children.  I think God loves to surprise His children as well.  I would go so far as to say He delights in surprising us.  Think Spring following a cold, barren Winter; think calm after a fierce storm; think beautiful sunrise after a dark night; think healing after sickness; think miracle after hopelessness; and life after death.  Each day is full of the Father’s surprises.

Grant’s main surprise for his college graduation found its genesis in another trip to the Smoky Mountains.  A couple of years ago, I stopped by the Smoky Mountain Knife Works at the behest of my friend Barry Newman while we were in the mountains.  Barry collects knives and wanted to look around this huge knife showroom.  While we were there I saw a shadow box with a beat up sword in it, along with a copy of the poem Opportunity.  I took the opportunity to read the poem.

OPPORTUNITY

THIS I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:–

There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;

And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged

A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords

Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince’s banner

Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.

A craven hung along the battle’s edge,

And thought, “Had I a sword of keener steel–

That blue blade that the king’s son bears, — but this

Blunt thing–!” he snapped and flung it from his hand,

And lowering crept away and left the field.

Then came the king’s son, wounded, sore bestead,

And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,

Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,

And ran and snatched it, and with battle shout

Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,

And saved a great cause that heroic day.

 

By: Edward Rowland Sill (1841-1887)

After I read the poem, I knew I had to get this for Grant.  But it was fairly expensive, so I thought I would wait and buy it for him as a present for Christmas.  However, when I tried to purchase it online several months later it was not listed as being in stock. I then called the store and they confirmed they no longer had this item.  Not only did they not have it, they did not know where I could find it.  It apparently was a one of a kind.  I literally had missed this unique opportunity.  I recently read a quote about opportunity from James T. Draper, Sr., “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity.”  There is so much truth in that statement.  It goes to the very heart of the word “opportunity.”  Several years earlier I read the root of our English word “opportunity” is the Latin phrase ob portu. Prior to modern harbors, ships had to wait until flood tide to make it into port. Ob portu refers to “the moment in time when the tide would turn.” It’s the window of opportunity.

This is referenced in the famous passage from Shakespeare’s play, Julius Caesar:

There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea we are now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

Timing makes such a big difference in everything.  I had recognized the need to emphasize the importance of recognizing and seizing opportunities to Grant a few years ago.  He had been working out in his room, and when he came out he shared with me he had seen a large snake (3-4 feet long) in the shrubbery outside the widow of his room.  I asked him if it was still there and he was not sure.  He had seen it 20-30 minutes ago!  I immediately went outside to try to locate this big snake. It was now dusk and of course I was unable to locate the snake.  The fleeting nature of opportunity was obviously something I had omitted to teaching Grant.  I explained how we often have a limited period of time to act on opportunities or they can be lost.  Fortunately, we did not learn the lesson of lost opportunities coming back to bite you from that incident.  But as I typed these words, I found myself glancing out the window of my study just to make sure that object lesson was not lurking in shrubbery. 

In the days leading up to Grant’s graduation from the University of West Georgia, I had found myself praying that he would see and seize the opportunities God would provide for a Summer job or mission trip, as well as a teaching position in the Fall as begins his vocation. As I prayed that prayer, God laid on my heart to give him the “Opportunity” poem and a sword.  So, I found the poem on the internet and I found a sword at a local dealership.  I also took the opportunity to write a personal letter to Grant about his sword and opportunities.  I will not share it all, but here is the final paragraph:

“You are the King’s son.  Even a simple sword with a blunted and broken blade in your hand can do more good and send more fear into the heart of the enemy than the sharpest steel in the hands of lesser men.  Remember the wise words of James T. Draper, Sr., “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity.”  And as you begin this new chapter in your story we pray that you will see the opportunities around you and seize them; that you will appreciate the adventure; pursue and save the beauty; and always stand strong and be brave in the battles which await you as you set out to change the world – one student at a time.” 

I shared with Grant the story of my missed opportunity to purchase the “Opportunity” shadow box.  But I also explained to him that we should learn to recognize unique opportunities and not let them slip through our hands.  But when we do, we should learn from the experience and not miss opportunities in the future.  In the end, my home-made opportunity gift is better because: (1) the timing is now perfect; (2) it is more personal; and (3) it comes with a true-life story to make it “stick.” I don’t think it was a coincidence that God inspired me to write about His delight in surprising us as I reflected on a trip Grant and I had taken to the Smoky Mountains, do you? Surprise Grant! It has been my delight and your Heavenly Father’s delight as well.