sandrascott | Christian Devotions | Daily Bible Devotions | 501c3

The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Their dreams for a simple life and love, interrupted. She heard the whispers and saw the averted glances. He saw downcast faces, backs turned in disapproval, his integrity questioned. The couple pursued the words given from Heavenly beings, taking them to heart, stepping out against the wisdom of their world.

Their plans for shelter were disrupted. No room in the inn; a crowded stable would suffice. The lesser of God’s creatures, the four-legged workforce, watched and listened. In the stillness of the night the mother panted and labored and prayed. The father prayed, waited, and held her hand. His steady hands made strong and rough from building, cutting, and shaping wood. Those hands trembled and held the crying, squirming package of new life; the Savior of all mankind.

Sheep, set apart for temple sacrifice, cuddled beneath a celestial blanket. The night reigned tranquil, hushed, and mundane. Fires crackled and provided a circle of warmth. Quiet ushered in with soothing shepherd songs, accompanied by flute and lyre. Then, upset by harmonies of heaven, angels’ bright glory swept away the darkness. Glory and brilliance radiated on shepherds, sheep, and field. A message heralded for thousands of years, now fulfilled. God’s Word made flesh. “Fear not! He is here!” Cloaked herders whispered amongst themselves the story told them. The Shepherds left their prized flocks and searched the dark streets of Bethlehem for the sole Lamb of God.

We sometimes question God’s disruption in our lives. But, in the hindsight of days, weeks, or years, we may ponder and see His glory. Should Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds have ignored the whisperings of God? Should they have closed their ears to declarations and fulfillment of prophecy to proceed with their own plans? The choice was theirs, as it is ours.

Our lives, no matter how well planned or established by custom and routine, will be altered when God is permitted to have His way. Has He nudged you to step forward or step back, to do or not do something? Has He prodded you to look in directions off your well-worn path of familiarity? His plan and purpose begins with that first step of obedience. Blessings for ourselves and others result when we give way to Divine interruptions.

Are you willing to be interrupted?

Sandra D. Scott, an RN, Bible teacher, and freelance writer, lives in Tucson, Arizona. She has taught Bible studies at a private Christian school and at a men’s prison facility for numerous years. She finds the writing process intriguing and says, “It’s amazing to have a plot or character develop before your eyes, like a photo in the darkroom.” She is currently “developing” several children’s short stories, a pro life novel, and a young adult novel.
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For it is good for me to draw near to God. Psalms 73:28

Soaring at 35,000 feet changed my perspective. A steel and concrete bridge, strengthened by tension, appeared thin and fragile. A rushing river was held subdued and silent by sediment-encrusted shorelines. Mesas, ridged and steep, decorated sun-baked desert floors like ribbon borders. Whole towns were dwarfed, made insignificant by the grandeur of mountains ranges. Snake-like rivers tangled and twisted along red-washed valleys and then disappeared into the horizon. Highways, by comparison, unnatural in their string-straightness and perfect curves, cut through the landscape. Clouds, pulled from imaginary bolts of batting, hugged mountain peaks.

As the flight headed northeast, the ground became obscured. The sun proceeded on its daily descent, casting oranges, lavenders, and pinks across the changing horizon. Delicate clouds took on the appearance of frozen tundra, thick sheets of whiteness, hard-packed. This scene continued for hundreds of miles until we began our descent. A decrease in altitude meant closer inspection, a different viewpoint. No longer frozen, the thick layer softened as we sank in the sky to meet it. Hardness transformed into soft wisps and delicate puffs of mist. The change in perspective changed what I saw.

In relationships, drawing close usually leads to greater understanding and intimacy. From a distance God may seem rigid, cold, unapproachable, like frozen tundra. To experience His gentleness, the brilliance of who He truly is, changes your perspective. God constantly draws us to Himself. He stretches out His hands, more eager to embrace than to reprimand. He desires a relationship without barriers, real or imagined.

When we respond to the invitation “Come unto Me…” God reveals Himself in ways we understand. Shift your location. Move close. Read His word. Talk with Him. Listen to His voice. Your relationship with Him will deepen. You will experience Him as never before. Draw near.

Sandra D. Scott, an R.N., Bible teacher, and freelance writer, lives in Tucson, Arizona. She has taught the Bible at a private Christian school and at a men’s prison facility for numerous years. She finds the writing process intriguing and says, “It’s amazing to have a plot or character develop before my eyes like a photograph in the darkroom.” Sandra is currently “developing” several children’s short stories, a pro-life novel, and a young adult novel.