Matt 2:13-14: “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt”
Unexpected interruptions! Don’t you just hate it when you have a plan and then unbeknownst to you God has a different plan. Mary and Joseph had finally settled into life with their small family when in the night an angel again interrupted Joseph’s dream and it set into motion a quick departure to Egypt. What followed must have broken Mary and Joseph’s heart as they heard reports of so many innocent lives taken because the king was looking for their child. In some ways it must have been comforting too to see how God had again taken care of them and provided a way of escape. Otherwise Jesus would have been one of the slain.
The lesson I take from this passage is to be sensitive to God’s leading. Joseph had learned to listen and respond to God’s leading. It is the same with us. If we listen to His guide we will move in step with Him and find ourselves protected and provided. We may still go through difficult things. I am sure the trip to Egypt was taxing especially for a young family, but it was lifesaving. Is God leading you to do something uncomfortable or even that doesn’t make sense? Listen to His voice and go where He sends.
I appreciate this insight on unexpected interruptions. As I have grown older, I am learning these situations are already known in advance by our Heavenly Father, and serve a greater purpose. Recently, I was in an “unexpected” traffic delay that held me up for 45 minutes. Ironically, I left home early in order to make better time to my destination, and arrive ahead of an impending rainstorm that was going to occur in the next state that I would be traveling through.
As it turned out, that rainstorm I tried to outrun in the South arrived early, BUT… because I was “stuck “in traffic 10 miles from home, I missed the hail, high winds, and blinding rain I would have encountered had I not been delayed. Our merciful Father knew that driving in inclement weather is one area that tests my driving confidence. I completed the rest of my trip under blue skies, dry interstates, and very little traffic. As a matter of fact, it ended up being one of the best road trips I ever made! He truly does work all things for our good!
I know at times I am frustrated with the unexpected and have to turn to the Lord for help in dealing with my expectations. And I am also so thankful that He truly does work it all out for my good! Thank you for this. I’m praying that I will truly trust God to go where He is leading me even when it doesn’t make sense to me.