Wait, what?

Dan Kunz

My wife and I have four daughters.  Because our girls had a lot of friends over the years, many of these friends because our “unofficial” daughters, as well.  One probably came the closest to holding the title of our “fifth” daughter – Kelsey.  Our youngest daughter and Kelsey basically grew up together all the way through grade school and high school.  To make them even closer, their two moms were friends as well.  Kelsey had many endearing qualities, but perhaps the one most obvious one was her frizzy blonde hair, a lot of it!  Now I’m not going to insult any of my readers who may be of the blonde persuasion, but let’s just say Kelsey didn’t always know what was going on.  When she was caught in those situations where she was kind of paying attention, but maybe not completely, she would frequenting blurt out, “Wait, what?”  It became her second-most endearing quality to all our family members.  Years later, we all will sometimes say, “Wait, what?”

I’m pretty sure we can all relate to Kelsey at times.  Even when it comes to our Christian faith, there are times when we may be caught off guard or be amazed.  With Easter only one week in the rearview mirror, we can imagine the excited women returning from the tomb with their incredible story.  Some of the disciples may have been tempted to say, “Wait, what?”  As Jesus explained the Scriptures to the two men on the way to Emmaus, we can imagine them saying it.  We might even think it from time to time ourselves when we’re particularly struck by the fact that God would send his own Son into the world to suffer a horrific death on the cross so that sinners such as you and I could spend eternity in heaven with him – Wait, what?

Unfortunately, we know that the phrase may also be used (with a much different tone) when an unbeliever hears the Gospel for the first time.  We know the old saying, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”  The unbelieving heart just can’t accept “something for nothing”.  Why would God do that for me?  I can’t accept that!  God must want something from me.  At the very least, I should be able to pay part of the bill.

You don’t have to be inattentive or daydreaming to miss the full measure of God’s amazing grace.  Even if you have been raised in a Christian family, attended Christian schools your whole life, or read the Bible from cover-to-cover numerous times, the overwhelming nature of God’s plan of salvation is hard to grasp.  John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  Wait, what?