Kilpatrick Baptist Association

As Christians we are all called to be on mission for the Lord.  Sometimes mission opportunities are planned and sometimes they come in what we might consider interruptions, but which are really divine appointments.  Jesus models for us how to be faithful to Him in planned mission opportunities and in interruptions.

 

In John 4:4 we read that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Why did Jesus have to go through Samaria?  Because He had a divine appointment to meet a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.  This divine appointment transformed the woman’s life and as a result many people in her town believed in Jesus.  There are times when the Lord leads us to go on a mission trip, or to be involved in a local mission, and the Lord’s plan results in transformed lives.

 

In Luke 8:41-42 Jesus is approached by “Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.”  So, now the planned mission was to go to Jairus house and heal his daughter.  However, Jesus' planned mission is soon, for our perspective, interrupted. Of course, for the Lord it was all a part of His divine plan.  A woman in the crowd had been sick for twelve years and had spent everything she had trying to find a doctor to help.  She was the picture of hopelessness.  But, by faith she “touched the fringe of his garment” and was immediately healed.  Was Jesus annoyed by this interruption? Not at all.  Jesus spent time talking to the woman and commended her faith. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace” (v. 48). While this was taking place someone told Jairus that his daughter had died.  I wonder if at that moment Jairus was annoyed that Jesus had been interrupted and kept from going to his house.  Of course, we know from the Bible that Jesus went to Jairus house and raised his daughter back to life.

 

So, the question is, are we annoyed by interruptions to our daily plans, or do we see them as mission opportunities? How often are our plans interrupted by the Lord when He brings someone to us who needs to experience the transforming love of Jesus?  May the Lord help us to live by faith and help us to see such encounters as divine appointments and not interruptions.

 

Mike Timmerman, Dearing BC