Interruptions as Divine Intrusions

Reflecting on The Third Sunday of Easter: Three Days after Sunday (Year C)

Scripture

Psalter: Psalm 121

Old Testament: Isaiah 6:1-8

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

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Prayer

Creator of the universe, you made the world in beauty, and restore all things in glory through the victory of Jesus Christ. We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed, the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace, to the glory of your name. Amen.

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Reflection

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple (Isaiah 6:1).

Rick Warren in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, writes, “Servants see interruptions as divine appointments for ministry and are happy for the opportunity to practice serving” (p. 259). The truth of the matter is, most of us hate interruptions unless we doing something we do not like. We like our routine, we need to get things done, and interruptions are nothing more than intrusions.

But when one reads through the Bible, God calls people in the mundane of the day with intrusions. God intruded upon Abraham’s retirement calling him to go west to land he had never seen. God intruded upon Amos in the sycamore grove as he was going about his business pruning trees, calling him to preach his word to the people of Israel. The Lord called Isaiah while he is worshiping in the Temple. Jesus called James and John out of their fishing boats attending to the day’s catch, so that they would follow him. Jesus called Paul on the Damascus Road as he was going about the routine of arresting Christians. God called Peter to a new understanding of the Gentiles by interrupting his afternoon nap with a vision. Most significantly, God personally intruded into the routine of our rebellion in Jesus Christ. Real servants learn to see the interruptions, not as intrusions, but as God moments when his voice may be calling.

What interruptions will we encounter today? What interruptions will we encounter tomorrow? Where will God intrude into our routine?

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