Divine Interruptions
I am so thankful that God is continually teaching His children, aren't you?
One of my favorite verses is Psalm 86:11; “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”
And of course, this amazing God we serve uses a variety of ways to teach us. I have a short story to illustrate how He taught me a very valuable lesson one particular day when I wasn’t paying attention.
On Sunday, both our Pastor and our Sunday School teacher talked about how we can be caught up in the temporary things of this life to the point we fail to give our attention to what matters the most. Sometimes we are so focused on our plans, our agenda, even “our ministry” that God has a hard time getting our attention.
On the Friday before that sermon I was setting up a “garage” sale at our church so we could raise money to buy Bibles and study books for Nicaraguan pastors; some so poor they live in tin shacks with dirt floors. Some don't even own a Bible. Great cause, right?
So there I was, setting up for this great cause, so busy doing my ministry, that I came very close to missing what God had for me to do at that moment. I was totally focused on getting everything in the right places; Christmas stuff on the tables in that corner, kitchen stuff over there, clothes on the tables and racks to the right, etc., etc. And I was being a tad obsessive about it. A few ladies came in and asked if they could look around. We said “yes” even though we were still setting up and the sale didn't begin until the next morning.
After selecting a few items, one of the ladies decided to “help”. Of course, being a little OCD at the moment, I didn't appreciate where she was putting stuff. I kept undoing what she was doing and putting things in their “proper” place. I even caught myself muttering to her under my breath, “Just leave!”
After awhile my “ministry” was interrupted by the voice of my friend to come over and join her in praying for someone. I looked and, yes, you probably guessed correctly, it was the same lady I had wanted out of there. Thankfully, my friend had stopped in the middle of our frantic activity to listen. Listen to God and listen to a very hurting individual that God had brought through the doors of our church. Her 21-year-old daughter had been killed in a car wreck two weeks before, leaving behind a six-year-old girl. This grieving mother standing before me had just that day left her house for the first time since the funeral. At the urging of a friend, they were making the rounds of a few garage sales and ended up with us. And I was too busy to even look at her unless it was to take her money. It grieves my heart all over again, just writing this!
There's nothing wrong with making plans and having a “to do” list. Heaven knows I need one just to stay focused! But over time I've come to realize that I desperately need to ask for His guidance, first to make my list, then as I start my day to surrender that list to Him. I often pray that verse in Psalm 86, “'Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth'... for this day, O Lord. I want the truth of your word to guide everything I think, everything I say and everything I do today. I want to walk in your way for me today! As I check off items on my list please, please, please let me be ready for YOU, Lord to interrupt with your plans for me.”
You have probably heard the term “Divine Interruption” before. I hate to think He has to interrupt me in order to work through me. I want to be so in tune to Him that He's working through me continually. I would love it if I lived in such a way that He never had to interrupt my agenda so I could focus on His agenda. That Friday evening, I should have been joyfully setting tables up (without a doubt doing what God wanted me to do) and joyfully looking for every opportunity to show God's love to every person that walked through the doors.
But I know my human tendencies! And, although I know God is teaching me and conforming me to His image, I also know I will have those days where my focus is off. And on those days I will welcome His Divine Interruptions!
