interruptions

Friday, December 12, 2014 (8:20 a.m.)

Blessed Holy God,

I allowed myself to get sidetracked yesterday. One interruption turned into another and the next thing I knew it was dark and I was falling asleep on the couch.

Father, thank You for interruptions. Thank You for the opportunity of an impromptu bike ride with our much loved son. Thank You for tasks completed. Thank You for loving us. And teaching us.

The only verse I could find this morning containing the word “interruptions” is in Job (33:33). My initial reaction was that I wouldn't learn much there. Au contraire! How VERY much is to be gleaned from revisiting these chapters.

Blessed Holy Father, thank You that You never fail. Thank You that You are perfect. And wonderful. Thank You that we get to choose to believe that You know what You are doing. Especially when nothing makes sense to us.

Job, his wife and friends operated under the premise that You are a righteous judge who punishes only the wicked and rewards the good. The Illustrated Bible Handbook describes them as being “frustrated because they see no way out of their dilemma. All four are bound by the circular logic of their understanding”.

It was Elihu that broke their way of thinking. He did “this by pointing out that God may use suffering to instruct as well as to punish (Job 33:19-30)!” This ultimately allowed “the bondage of false logic” to be broken, freeing each of them “to confess that he does not know why God has permitted Job to undergo this experience.”

Freedom in truth. Oh, and those interruptions from yesterday just keep getting better! They led me to read, “Since we are confident that God's character is marked by 'an abundant righteousness He will not violate' (37:23), when we cannot understand we are simply to trust Him. This is perhaps the most significant message of Job” (IBH).

Oh, Amen!

Blessed Father, there are so many things we could accomplish on our rainy day schedule today. Make them the lasting ones. The things that will bring You honor and glory.

This Advent Season is “a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.” May every interruption we encounter point us directly back to this Truth.

Bless us, keep us. Smile down on us and show us Your kindness. Answer our prayers and give us Your peace (Numbers 6:24-26, Easy-to-Read Version). That peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The peace “that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel” (Contemporary English Version).

And again I say, “Amen!” So be it. Make it so. Yes. Please!

I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(458 words ~ 9:50 a.m.)