Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Luke 1:11, ” Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. “

Background

How many e-mails do you receive each day? Five? Five hundred? How about phone calls and voice mails? And how many Instant Messages pop up on your screen throughout the day? And then there are the text messages. Do they keep coming all day long, beckoning your attention and immediate response? And in between the constant onslaught of messages and communications, I’m sure there’s a certain amount of human traffic making its way to you, be it expected or unexpected, co-workers or customers. There are many labels we could put on these random moments that occur throughout the day, some of them positive and some less so. But either way, many of them turn out to be interruptions, plain and simple. But have you ever had an angel turn up at your desk? Now, be careful before you answer. Remember the instructions that the writer of Hebrews gave us about entertaining strangers. So I ask again, have you ever had an angel at your desk? 

Application

Zacharias was working in the temple and none other than the angel Gabriel came to him. I’m not sure how Zacharias knew it was an angel, for Gabriel didn’t introduce himself until later in the conversation. But somehow he knew, and it frightened him. It also interrupted him. And this was not just any ordinary interruption. Zacharias had the rare opportunity to burn incense at the altar. It may have been his only chance his entire life to do this. And who comes butting in, but an angel with a message from God. Isn’t that just like Him? Our time finally comes, our big break arrives, and there is God with a message of some sort. But I’m afraid that we’re missing many of those messages, for they may be coming in the form of interruptions, and perhaps even at the most inopportune times. Sure, it might not be an angel, but a stressed co-worker stopping by for a chat might have a word from the Lord for you. In fact, in every direction you get pulled, it might behoove you to consider who is really doing the pulling. God’s timing has a way of being perfect. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God for another chance to receive what you missed the last time. Open your heart to being pulled off task, and see where He takes you.  

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words