Make Room for Interruptions

     Over the years, I have learned that there is nothing more certain in a day than interruptions.  When our four children were small, it was a rare day when a telephone call, meal preparation or housecleaning was put on hold due to a crisis of some sort that needed immediate attention.  This is just a part of life.  We can make all the plans we want to, but God often has other priorities for our life.  His sovereign plan is always the best.  Psalm 33:10-11 reads:  "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations."  There is a difference between our shaky plans and God's sovereign will.  He can see the beginning to the end of all things; therefore He allows those interruptions to come our way.
 

Children can interrupt us with requests to read
but what a blessing and privilege it is!

 For example, look at the account of Mary in Luke 1:26-31.  Here is a young virgin who is betrothed to a fine man.  She is going about her daily routine when suddenly an angel appears to her with the news that she will be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah.  She was troubled and shocked by the news that she would give birth to a child though she was not yet married.  If she were found to be with child outside of marriage, she could be accused of unfaithfulness to her betrothed.  This was a major interruption, and yet, an unparalleled blessing from God's Hand.  Mary yielded to God's will for her life, and delivered the Son of God who would one day deliver her from her sins.
     In Acts 9:1-9, we read about another interruption that radically changed a man's life.  Here we see Saul of Tarsus.  He was a man who hated Christians and persecuted them to the death.  He was traveling on the road to Damascus to carry out further orders to put Christians in jail.  However,  a light flashed around him causing him to fall to the ground, and he heard the voice of Jesus asking him why he was persecuting Him.  This was an amazing interruption in a life that was dedicated to the destruction of Christians.  Of course, we know how it ends.  Saul becomes a believer in Jesus Christ and turns the known world of his day upside down by taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.
     Both of these cases point to the fact that God has a perfect plan which often over rides our daily list of "to do's".  The problem comes in when we look upon interruptions with frustration, fear, irritation and doubt.  What we see as an obstacle to getting something done may really be, in fact, a greater blessing than we could ever realize.
     Recently, when I went in for some heart testing, I felt it might be a waste of time or interruption to my daily routine.  Nevertheless, I went through the tests and discovered there was a problem and it was addressed putting me back on the road to improved health.  I believe it was one of those divine interruptions we often complain about.  It has made me realize that we need to look upon intrusions from a different perspective.  We need to be able to exchange our "to do list" for His when He brings along interruptions.  Seeing it as an opportunity to serve the Lord will change our response to interruptions.  Selah!