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About this post: This blog post is part of a series of daily devotionals where we are exploring Jesus' life through the book of John. To sign up to receive text notification of these posts, text zpcdevo to 39970. We welcome your comments and questions each day.

About the author: Hi! I’m Mary Sumner. My husband Barry and I have been attending ZPC since 1989. We have two grown children, Stephen and Christine, and two beautiful grandchildren. Barry oversees Hispanic ministries for the Presbytery and is on the ZPC Mission Commission. I help lead Revive and Restore Ministries, a non-profit, non-denominational ministry that comes alongside of women of all ages to help them become all that God created them to be.

SCRIPTURE: Luke 2:1-20

  “ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.”   Luke 2:8,9 NLT

God is a God of order, so there is nothing wrong with having plans and expectations. But sometimes it seems that God delights is interrupting our well-laid plans! Maybe it is because, when he does, we are forced to take our eyes off of our problems, the daily grind of life, and look up to him and receive his higher perspective. 

We are familiar with the many interruptions Jesus’ parents, Joseph and Mary, endured in their lives and how God used them to fulfill prophecy and bring wonderful, eternal blessings to the world for untold generations.  One is recorded in the familiar passage of the Christmas story, Luke 2:1-10, in which Joseph and Mary were forced to go to Bethlehem to register, when Mary was close to giving birth. 

And then there were the shepherds, who as usual were out there watching their sheep at night, when suddenly they were terrified as the angel of the Lord appeared to them. They were expecting a quiet, ordinary night, when “suddenly, a great company of heavenly hosts” appeared with the angel of the Lord praising God and announcing the birth of the Savior.

God’s interruptions have the potential to eternally alter us and our lives.  Those shepherds’ lives were obviously changed, since immediately they chose to find the Savior and be among the first to recognize and worship him. Maybe, like me, you have asked, “Why?” instead of, “How do you want me to respond, Lord?” when God has interrupted your life. How would you like to react to God’s next sudden change of plans?

As the New Year begins, expect God’s interruptions, and thank him that he loves you so much that he chose to give you an upgrade, a promotion, to a higher place, an eternal perspective that will change your life forever. 

Prayer:

Father God,
Thank you that you love me so much, that you are always working in me and around me to grow me more like Jesus. Holy Spirit, give me the desire and power to align with God’s plans and purposes when his interruptions occur. I don’t want to miss any opportunity to grow in my knowledge and understanding, and draw closer to Jesus.
It’s in my Savior’s precious name I pray,
Amen.

Dear friend, be blessed with confident hope and joyful expectation as you begin the New Year. May the Holy Spirit make you sensitive to the flow of his life in and around you, so that you miss no opportunity to be lifted higher.  Amen.

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