Please Do Not Disturb


‘For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.’

John 13:15  
  


Have you ever thought that what you and I consider to be an interruption in our day just might be a divine appointment? I find myself repenting a lot as of late as I consider how easily frustrated I can become when my day is (in my mind) is interrupted by unplanned events. What I am having to relearn is that what I consider interruptions are in fact divine appointments. Perusing my Twitter feed today I came across a tweet that a friend and fellow pastor posted. It was a quote by Eugene O’Neill that I just couldn’t quit thinking about once I read it. It said, “Each day is a life in miniature”. That tweet brought a barrage of scenes to my mind, especially after I discovered that tweet was in response to yet another tweet that was quoting C.S. Lewis  who wrote, “The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one’s ‘own’, or ‘real’ life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life – the life God is sending one day by day.”

Yes, loved one, each day we live is a life in miniature so we need to make the most of them! The apostle Paul reminds us in the book of Romans that whatever happens to us and whatever comes our way, good or bad, God can and will ultimately use for our good. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” You and I belong to God and because of that, there are no interruptions to our day, they are merely divine appointments that God scheduled for us.

As I ponder these quotes above, the words of Jesus come to mind. The Gospel of Matthew gives us a glimpse into why we need to see the seemingly interruptions to our day as divine appointments from God Himself, Matthew 25:31-40 quotes Jesus speaking, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

What do you think? Do you still believe those unplanned and unscheduled disruptions to your day are interruptions or are they actually divine appointments scheduled by God? I think the answer is clear. Each day really is life in miniature. Determine to follow the Lord’s example knowing God will take those interruptions we respond to with joy and like only He can, He will fashion them into a crown!  


“His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

Matthew 25:21


I LOVE YOU!