I Hate Interruptions

This people have I formed
for myself; they shall shew forth
my praise.
Isaiah 43:21

Interruptions have always been a problem for me. Maybe it's because I'm some kind of control freak. With interruptions, all control is lost. Interruptions to our routine can come in almost any form...phone call, doorbell, weather situation, sudden company, fender bender in a parking lot, illness, trip to emergency room, and on and on it goes. How we react or respond to these things can vary. It's important how we treat interruptions whether they bother us or not.

In recent days, I've reviewed some interruptions seen in Scripture. Some may have worked out in a positive way while others may of turned out not so well.

Adam & Eve: Life was good. Probably more than anyone we could ever know down through history, these two people probably had everything any folks could possibly want. They had all of the provisions of life anyone could possibly want. They had a close relationship with their Creator...life was good. ENTER: a serpent...not a snake as we know them now. There was no reason for fright or concern because we are told the serpent was nothing ugly or foreboding at that time. This interruption changed mankind on into eternity. Mankind would be born into and leave the earth fighting for their lives against Satan all because Eve and then her husband yielded to Satan's temptation.

David: I'm thinking of one thing in particular. David was a boy, a shepherd. The king had a need and because of David's reputation as a talented musician, was called from the fields into the palace to serve the king, using his music ability. David had been in the field with his sheep, going through his every day routine that was suddenly interrupted with that bidding. His life was changed from that point on as far as his relationship with the king who would later become jealous to the point of insanity toward David. David spent years running for his life from that king he loved and had served faithfully.

Moses: Raised in the palace in Egypt, through some circumstances that required his escaping to another place, found himself out in a wilderness, keeping sheep. It was such a dull, boring, hot and dirty job. Was this to be his fate? One day, a bush caught on fire right before Moses. If that wasn't a shock enough, there was a voice out of the bush. In that way, God placed a special call on Moses life to lead his people from Egypt to the promise land. That was quite an interruption. Moses fussed a little with God about his own inability to do God's bidding but in the end yielded.

Daniel: A grown man of prayer. He had a wonderful habit of opening his window toward Jerusalem daily and inside that window having a time of prayer. This ended up being used by his enemies to try to destroy Daniel's life. He was arrested and hesitantly, the king was forced to stay with his own edict regarding worship of anyone other than himself, and had Daniel thrown into a den of lions. We know the end of that story though, how God spared Daniel in a miraculous way. His courage and loyalty stand as examples for all of us.

Saul (Paul): He had the order in hand to go to Damascus to round up all the Christians he could and place them under arrest. One can just sense his excitement as he headed out. This was a dream job for him and he could hardly wait to get to his destination and begin the round up. BUT...while on the way, a bright light hit him right in the face, a blinding light but with that light, Jesus spoke, getting Saul's undivided attention. We know the change in Saul right on that road. He went through a lot of teaching and even a name change. He began preaching the best he knew how of Jesus, now his Savior. We also have the wonderful benefit of some of his life history in the book of Acts as well as his written epistles.

Andrew, Peter, James and John: Fishermen...a very difficult occupation. It was a business often handed down from father to son and there's no reason it wouldn't be the same with these men. One day, their lives were interrupted. They were going about their various responsibilities, some mending nets...nothing different from any other day. Suddenly, though, a stranger, Jesus, approached them without notice and placed His call on their lives. He asked them to come with Him. He wanted to make them “fishers of men.” They left their nets and fellow workers and followed. It had been an ordinary day, doing the same ordinary things until they were interrupted. They didn't question or complain. They simply followed.

Mary and Joseph: Most of us know the excitement of engagement and planning a wedding. This couple was no different from other couples. Little did they know the major interruption that would come into their lives that would change every plan they had made. How many couples have an angel appearing to them with news that would change the course of mankind. Their lives were that of common folks, not of wealth or fame but asked to take on a responsibility most of us would view as being impossible to tackle. They both responded with humility and in agreement with God. Mary gave birth to Jesus while Joseph became His earthly father.

The list could go on and on of folks in the Bible, whose lives were interrupted in some way, often interrupted by God. I have come to learn that most interruptions in my life are often of God too. I've had calls of someone needing advice or even directions. Unplanned trips to the ER or doctor's offices end up being God nudges. Most interruptions in the lives of Christians result in being “divine appointments” of some kind even though we don't understand that fact at the moment. As Christians, Jesus has every right to call on us...interrupt us...any time He sees fit. May we respond giving Him all glory as we function on His behalf.

Father, forgive my impatience with interruptions that come into my life, interruptions You know all about. Help me understand that You have purpose in everything that happens in my life. Thank You for the power and insight You give me to serve You well. In Jesus precious name...Amen