DECEMBER 24 A CHRISTMAS INTERRUPTION By Joe Stowell Global Ambassador and Special Assistant to the President, Moody Bible Institute
Today’s Passage: Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Life is full of the plans we make to fulfill our dreams. We save for the long-awaited vacation; we work hard for the promotion and raise; we court the love of our life hoping for a “yes” to our proposal – only to find that our plans are often interrupted by dream-killing circumstances beyond our control. Like the dream-killing call from the doctor telling us we have stage-four cancer, the pink slip on our desk at work, a serious injury, or an unexpected emergency that drains our financial reserves – the list of potential disappointing, life-changing interruptions is long. In that first journey toward Christmas there was a couple who had their dreams dashed by the interruption of an angelic announcement. Joseph and Mary were like every other couple, dreaming of their upcoming marriage and the joys of life together. But Gabriel’s announcement changed everything. It would be a challenging assignment for Mary. Her wedding plans were scrapped, and after all, who would believe that she was a virgin assigned to give birth to the Messiah? What would she tell her mother? And Joseph’s reputation as an upstanding businessman in the community would be tarnished as well. But despite the challenges, they willingly surrendered to God’s plan. And it was their unflinching faithfulness to His plan that rendered outcomes far more significant than their own. God’s plan gave them the honor of blessing sinful people like us with the good news of redemption through the gift of Mary’s Son, Jesus. When life-changing circumstances interrupt our journeys, we need to remember that God is managing the details of our lives. He is the “good interrupter” who detours our plans to accomplish His far better plan – which will be for our good and His glory. As His Word promises, “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
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