Heading out of 2019 and into a new year, we wanted to kind of circle back to the premise of not just our show or Ministry, but our lives together. We have done shows on Covenant Friendship and spiritual connections, but today we wanted to just talk about sometimes how these connections happen.

Have you ever been in the middle of an important or deep conversation and been interrupted? What about a day planned out – of all the things you need to get done and all of a sudden something happens to where you aren’t able to get it all done like you wanted? There is nothing more frustrating than to be interrupted in life; when something gets in the way of our plan. But there is one interruption that can be the best life changing interruption and that is when God interrupts our lives.

Other words for interruption are interfere, intrusion, a stoppage, and hindrance. None of these words are pleasing to hear. They are not the words that bring a joy or happiness. However, God at many times will interrupt our lives and those are the interruptions we need to be willing to allow.

A divine interruption can be the greatest blessing, the greatest opportunity and invitation from God.

If we hold on too tight to our agendas and our plans, we could miss out on an opportunity and invitation from God. We must be willing and open for God to interrupt our lives!

There are many stories in the Bible of divine interruptions; many who were faced with what seemed like the greatest interruption when it was really an invitation from God. Let’s take a look and learn from them…

Proverbs 19:21– ”You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”

Jonah(Chapters 1-4)

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: Get up and goto the great city of Nineveh…But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction. We are all familiar with the story. We see that God told him “get up and go.” Jonah was comfortable where he was. He didn’t want to go to a city filled with sin, to a people that (in his eyes) didn’t deserve Gods grace ad mercy, but God tells him to get up and go. For one, we know that Jonah didn’t immediately obey and there were consequences for his disobedience. God interrupted Jonah’s life with an opportunity to lead a people to repentance, which we know that he later obeyed. Jonah was told to go. God told him where and what to do. Sometimes, God just says go and there isn’t direction, but God leads as you go.

Then there is Mary, who is a great example as we just celebrated Christmas.

Mary

Luke 1:26-31

“During the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God’s presence to an unmarried girl named Mary, living in Nazareth, a village in Galilee. She was engaged to a man named Joseph, a true descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Grace to you, young woman, for the Lord is with you and so you are anointed with great favor.”

Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus.”

Talk about an interruption! I mean, we have a hard enough time when we have an unexpected/unplanned pregnancy. Mary not only was going to be pregnant unplanned but it wasn’t even by her fiancé Joseph. Everything about this is such an example of a divine interruption! The risk it took, the courage it took, and the trust it took for both Mary and Joseph. You know people would talk- family, friends… Joseph himself would come close to leaving her. Talk about the ridicule, the mockery, and the gossip. Her life was interrupted and would be forever changed!

Noah(Genesis Chapters 6-9)

The story of Noah is one we all know very well. Noah was favored with God. The Bible says Noah was a righteous man who was blameless among the people of his time and most of all, he walked faithfully with God. The world at that time was corrupt with sin and violence and God decided to destroy the earth and all it’s inhabitants and start over. Because Noah was favored by God, he and his family would be spared. God interrupted his life and asked him to do something that would look completely and utterly ridiculous! He asked Noah to build an ark. Nothing like this had ever been built and there was no rain in sight! BUT Noah, obeyed and God gave him specific instructions every step of the way. Because Noah allowed God to interrupt his life and even what seemed “normal” to him, Noah and his family were saved.

We have to understand that when God interrupts our lives, it is always for a purpose to further His Kingdom AND often times, it will look completely ridiculous and absurd. We will have people looking at us like we have lost our mind. We will look weird, odd, unusual, BUT the Bible says God is doing a new thing. It won’t look like we think it should or even adhere to societal norms or standards, but it will be what God needs us to do and if we allow Him to interrupt us and use us, there are great things ahead!

When God interrupts, it’s not for us, but always about others, and in our obedience, we are blessed. Often, if not always, God brings what seems like interruptions as invitations for His miracles and purposes to take place.

• We have to be willing to relinquish control of our plans, our agendas and allow room for God to interrupt our lives.
• We have to be willing to take risks, tune out the noise and banter of others
• We must be willing to adjust and allow change