Divine Interruptions

For most of us, the arrival of Christmas is a highly anticipated event. We see the calendars turn, the lights go up, and the music begin. We prepare our homes, our schedules, and our budgets. We thrive on the predictability of the season. 

Yet, the historical reality of the first Christmas was anything but predictable. For the two people at the center of the story, the first Christmas didn't arrive with a planned celebration—it arrived as a massive, life-altering interruption.

The Interruption of a Young Woman’s Future

Mary was a young woman with a clear path ahead of her. She was engaged to Joseph, likely focused on the domestic preparations common to any bride-to-be. Her life was orderly until the moment Heaven intervened.

The angel Gabriel’s visit in Luke 1:30–31  was the ultimate disruption: "Don’t be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus."

This wasn't just a physical change; it was a social and relational crisis. In her culture, an unexplained pregnancy during the betrothal period carried the weight of scandal and potential legal judgment. Mary’s plans for a quiet, traditional wedding were instantly shattered. Yet, her response was one of radical submission, recognizing that God's interruption was a divine invitation.

The Interruption of a Just Man’s Reputation

Then we have Joseph. He too, found his world turned upside down. Having discovered Mary was pregnant, he was faced with a heartbreaking decision. He likely felt the sting of perceived betrayal and the weight of a ruined future. He was already planning a quiet divorce to save her from public shame when God interrupted his grief.

In Matthew 1:20, an angel appeared to him in a dream:

 "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit."

Joseph’s plans for a simple, quiet life as a carpenter were replaced by the monumental task of raising the Savior of the world. His life was no longer his own; it had been redirected by a sovereign God.

 From Interruption to Incarnation

We often view interruptions as nuisances—obstacles that get in the way of our "real" work or our "real" lives. However, the Nativity story teaches us that what we perceive as an interruption is often God’s initiation.

The birth of Jesus proves that God’s greatest blessings often arrive in packages we didn’t order and at times we didn't choose. If Mary and Joseph had insisted on their own timelines and their own comfort, they would have missed being the earthly parents of the Messiah.

Seeing the Blessing in the Unexpected

The scripture reminds us that God's perspective is far higher than our own. While we see the disruption of our plans, He sees the fulfillment of His purpose.

Proverbs 16:9  says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." 

Romans 8:28  assures us, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

Just as it was for Mary and Joseph, an "interruption" in our lives—a lost job, an unexpected health report, or a sudden change in direction—can be the very place where God is showing up to do something miraculous. 

The first Christmas reminds us that when God interrupts our lives, it isn't to take away our joy, but to bring a blessing to the world that we could never have planned ourselves.

What blessings might you be seeing as interruptions right now? And what might God be doing in the midst of them?

-Pastor Patti