On a recent episode, Commissioner Gordon picked up the red Batphone and called Batman up due to an emergency in Gotham. While this is a regular occurrence in almost every episode, it is kind of a big deal. Batman is often the last resort for the police. He is the big gun that only comes out to battle super villains. In many ways, Batman is the savior of Gotham City.
Because the Caped Crusader is so important to the city, I was pretty surprised by Commissioner Gordon’s reaction when Alfred answered the phone and said, “I’ll get him, sir.” (Note: Why does Alfred answer the phone? Is it not weird to Commissioner Gordon that Batman has a butler?) Gordon’s response is full of surprise and excitement as he announces to the officer in the room, “Oh good, he’s home.”
Really?! Batman is so vital to the survival of Gotham’s citizens, he is the Dark Knight that always comes to save the day, and Gordon is surprised that he is available? When he said his line, I literally laughed out loud. I thought about how comical the entire scenario was, especially Robin’s tights.
Then I started to think about how we communicate with our Savior. I recently wrote about how we should not be disappointed by unanswered prayers. Yet, I also believe that we often go too far the other way. We try to avoid disappointment by setting our expectations low, then we can’t get upset if God says, “No” because we never really expected Him to say, ”Yes.”
It’s like when He does answer, we are surprised. Like Commissioner Gordon, we excitedly say, “Oh good, He is there after all.” And sadly, I often find myself to be guilty of this.
Early this week, I went to visit my grandmother in the hospital. She had been there for almost a week struggling with a kidney stone that was so big there was no way she could pass it. The doctors were exploring other options, and taking their time doing so, while she sat there in pain.
Toward the end of my visit, I prayed with her. I asked God for healing and comfort, that He would remedy the situation and allow her to feel better. I left the hospital, drove home, and went about my routine waiting for my mother to call with the doctors’ decision about what to do.
The next day, I found out that she had passed the kidney stone that seemed impossible to pass. She went through a great deal of pain, but the process was much better for her than any procedure they may have been planning. Apparently, she started to feel the pain as soon as I walked out of her room. Hours later, she passed the stone and has felt much better ever since.
When I called on God that day, I’m not sure I really expected Him to answer. When I heard the good news the next day, I was thrilled and immediately praised His name. Then I felt ashamed because I was so surprised by the outcome.
While I am sure I am not the only person this has ever happened to, I feel it is important to share my story in hopes that maybe you will not make the same mistake. If you pick up that red phone and dial up your Savior, expect Him to answer and expect Him to act quickly. He is awesome, and we should never be surprised by His love.