As Jamy and I reflect on our journey these last four months, we often talk about how my automobile accident is not anything we would have planned for us. And yet, in the midst of it all, God has shown us His goodness and provision time and again in this “interruption” He allowed to happen in our lives. As we read through the pages of Scripture, God many times interrupted the lives of people to work His plan for His glory.
In this Christmas season, one of those interruptions in the Bible that comes to mind is Joseph and Mary. As an engaged couple, they must have been looking forward to their new lives together. Mary becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit was certainly not anything they could have planned or imagined, but this divine “interruption” in their lives was used by God for His marvelous purposes. Here are a few things we can learn from Joseph and Mary when God interrupts our lives in unexpected ways:
First, God’s interruptions demonstrate His providence and authority over everything. Notice in the Christmas narratives in the Gospels that God never asks Joseph and Mary if they would be willing to be the earthly parents of Jesus—He informs them. The interruptions that God allows in our lives are often not easy. For Joseph and Mary, the census, no room in the inn, the flight to Egypt—all of these were difficult hardships. If God asked our permission to interrupt our lives, we would probably say no. However, God doesn’t ask permission because He is Almighty God. He is working His sovereign plan in our lives even if it means hardship for us. The good news is that God is faithful to give His presence and provision in every interruption.
Second, when God interrupts our lives, our response should be to obey Him and embrace the interruption as part of God’s divine plan. In Matt. 1:24, Joseph arose from his sleep after God told him in a dream to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife and immediately obeyed what God commanded. In the next verse, Matthew gives us the important detail that Joseph kept Mary a virgin until Jesus was born. This shows the full measure of Joseph’s obedience. When we experience God’s interruptions in our lives, our response should not be anger at God or bitterness at our circumstances, but full obedience to God and His Word as He works His plan in our lives.
Third, when we faithfully walk with God through interruptions, we will experience His blessing even in the midst of difficulty. Joseph and Mary had the blessing of watching Jesus “grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). Also, can you imagine the blessing Mary must have experienced when she witnessed her son risen from the dead for the salvation of all who would believe? The interruption God sent to her life through the incarnation of Jesus would have far reaching impact beyond just herself.
If you are experiencing one of God’s interruptions, embrace it with obedience and trust that God is working ultimately for your good and His purposes. Through interruptions, God may take us down a path we never thought we would walk to bring Him glory in ways we never could have imagined. God is good! I hope you and your family have a most joyous Christmas!
