昨天我们说我们的天父是「让人满有惊喜的神」。我们必须对此作更深入的思考以从中得到更多的启发。相信看过古老默片的人都看过这么的一幕──受害人被翘八字胡子的暴徒绑在铁路上，然后在火车冲过来以前，就有人把不幸的受害者从似乎是必死无疑的境况中、以最不可思议的办法救起来。

在你的生命中不是也经常遇上类似的情况吗？正当你面临看似巨大的灾难时，那位「让人满有惊喜的神」将绝望的情况转化为无比喜乐的机会。就在我们感到世上似乎再没有人会关心我们，甚至不能度过那关键时刻的时候，神就会靠近我们，以祂同在的温暖围绕我们，令暂时孤立无援的时段变成意义深刻的经历。

很多时候我们对神的认识只是理论性──我们在头脑上认识祂，并不是内心真正的认识。不过，在孤单的深处，这经历改变了我们，将理论变成现实。有人将孤单定义为「一个认识神的意外机会」，它确实是如此。当除了神以外没有其他人的时候，那就是我们学习认识神的时刻，而且是真正深入的认识。孤单的经历确实不容易，但相信我，孤单付出的代价将会得到更有价值的回报。

We referred yesterday to our heavenly Father as "the God of remarkable surprises". We must stay with that thought a little longer and draw from it further inspiration. Who hasn't seen the scenario in the old silent movies in which a victim is tied to a railway track by a handlebar-moustached villain? But the story isn't over: invariably, moments before the train comes thundering around the corner, someone rescues the hapless victim from what looks like certain death - and often in the most surprising manner.

Have you not often found a similar scenario in your own life? Just when it looks as if you are facing what seems like unmitigated disaster, the "God of remarkable surprises" turns a desperate situation into an opportunity for unparalleled joy. How does He do it? Just when we are feeling as if there is no one in the world who cares and that we will not be able to get through the day, He draws close to us and wraps the warmth of His presence around us in a way that makes the experience of temporary isolation worthwhile.

You see, sometimes our knowledge of God is just theoretical - we know Him in our heads, but we don't really know Him in our hearts. In the depths of loneliness, however, this undergoes a deep change - the theory is turned into reality. Someone has defined loneliness as "the surprising opportunity to know God". It is. When there is no one but God - those are the times when we learn to know God - and really know Him. The experience of loneliness is not easy to go through, but believe me, it is worth far more than the cost.