God's Interruptions
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Our society has created an entire industry dedicated to the pursuit of joy. We've developed sophisticated therapeutic techniques, psychological research, and wellness programs—all promising to lead us to happiness. Yet despite all these advances, anxiety and depression rates continue to climb. Something isn't working, and we need to understand why.
The story of the Annunciation in Luke 1:26-38 offers us wisdom and understanding of the nature of true joy. It begins with Mary, a young woman in the town of Nazareth. Biblical scholars tell us she was probably around thirteen years old, engaged to Joseph in a legally binding betrothal. This wasn't like our modern engagements—it was so serious that it required a formal divorce to break it off. Mary was settling into what she thought would be an ordinary life in an ordinary town.
Then God interrupted everything.
The appearance of the angel Gabriel wasn't just a surprising moment—it represented God's pattern of divine intervention throughout history. When God wanted to start a nation, He interrupted Abraham's comfortable life in Ur with a call to leave everything behind. When God needed a deliverer for His people, He interrupted Moses' quiet shepherd life with a burning bush. When God was ready to raise up a prophet, He interrupted Isaiah's regular temple duties with a heavenly vision.
This pattern reveals something crucial about how God works: His transformative purposes often begin by disrupting our carefully laid plans. This truth speaks directly to our current mental health crisis. We live in an age obsessed with personal control. We plan our careers, optimize our schedules, and carefully curate our lives. Yet despite our best efforts at maintaining control, lasting joy seems increasingly elusive.
Consider the angel's greeting to Mary: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Biblical scholarship reveals something fascinating here—the term "highly favored" doesn't point to Mary's special merit but to God's gracious choice. This teaches us something fundamental about joy: it doesn't emerge from our achievements or self-discovery but through God's gracious intervention in our lives.
Mary's initial response deserves our attention. Scripture tells us she was "greatly troubled" by this greeting. Of course she was—divine interruptions are unsettling. They challenge our sense of control and confront us with possibilities that exceed our human understanding. This resonates with our own struggle to embrace God's unexpected interventions in our lives. But the angel's message went beyond personal disruption. The declaration that this child would be "the Son of the Most High" and receive "the throne of his father David" connected Mary's personal experience to God's faithful promises throughout Israel's history. This reveals another crucial truth: authentic joy finds its foundation not in our circumstances but in God's unchanging character and promises.
Mary's response stands as a pivotal moment: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." These words demonstrate not passive acceptance but active participation in God's redemptive plan. When the angel declared that "nothing will be impossible with God," this wasn't just about the miracle of virgin conception. It spoke to God's ability to bring joy and purpose out of seemingly impossible situations.
This perspective fundamentally challenges our culture's emphasis on self-determination. While society suggests that joy comes through maintaining control over our lives, Mary's example shows us something different: true joy flows from surrendering control to God's sovereign purpose. Joy doesn't require the absence of difficulty—it requires the presence of God. Mary's life wasn't easy. She faced social stigma, political upheaval, and ultimately witnessed her son's crucifixion. Yet she discovered joy not through perfect circumstances but through trust in God's perfect plan.
I think that this is a good approach to addressing today's mental health challenges. While we should absolutely utilize the resources God provides—therapy, medication when needed, support systems—lasting joy requires something more. It emerges through recognizing and responding to divine interruption, standing firmly on God's promises, and surrendering to His sovereign purpose.
Perhaps the anxiety and depression so prevalent in our society partially stem from our resistance to God interrupting our lives. We might be so focused on maintaining control that we miss God's transformative interventions in our lives. The joy we desperately seek isn't found in better self-help strategies or cultural solutions. It comes through welcoming God's interruptions, trusting His promises, and surrendering to His plan.
The Incarnation story teaches us that God's greatest works often begin with holy interruptions. When we welcome these divine disruptions, trust His promises, and surrender to His plan, we discover something far better than temporary happiness. We find lasting joy—a joy that sustains us through life's challenges and points others to the God who specializes in doing the impossible.
The story of the Annunciation in Luke 1:26-38 offers us wisdom and understanding of the nature of true joy. It begins with Mary, a young woman in the town of Nazareth. Biblical scholars tell us she was probably around thirteen years old, engaged to Joseph in a legally binding betrothal. This wasn't like our modern engagements—it was so serious that it required a formal divorce to break it off. Mary was settling into what she thought would be an ordinary life in an ordinary town.
Then God interrupted everything.
The appearance of the angel Gabriel wasn't just a surprising moment—it represented God's pattern of divine intervention throughout history. When God wanted to start a nation, He interrupted Abraham's comfortable life in Ur with a call to leave everything behind. When God needed a deliverer for His people, He interrupted Moses' quiet shepherd life with a burning bush. When God was ready to raise up a prophet, He interrupted Isaiah's regular temple duties with a heavenly vision.
This pattern reveals something crucial about how God works: His transformative purposes often begin by disrupting our carefully laid plans. This truth speaks directly to our current mental health crisis. We live in an age obsessed with personal control. We plan our careers, optimize our schedules, and carefully curate our lives. Yet despite our best efforts at maintaining control, lasting joy seems increasingly elusive.
Consider the angel's greeting to Mary: "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Biblical scholarship reveals something fascinating here—the term "highly favored" doesn't point to Mary's special merit but to God's gracious choice. This teaches us something fundamental about joy: it doesn't emerge from our achievements or self-discovery but through God's gracious intervention in our lives.
Mary's initial response deserves our attention. Scripture tells us she was "greatly troubled" by this greeting. Of course she was—divine interruptions are unsettling. They challenge our sense of control and confront us with possibilities that exceed our human understanding. This resonates with our own struggle to embrace God's unexpected interventions in our lives. But the angel's message went beyond personal disruption. The declaration that this child would be "the Son of the Most High" and receive "the throne of his father David" connected Mary's personal experience to God's faithful promises throughout Israel's history. This reveals another crucial truth: authentic joy finds its foundation not in our circumstances but in God's unchanging character and promises.
Mary's response stands as a pivotal moment: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." These words demonstrate not passive acceptance but active participation in God's redemptive plan. When the angel declared that "nothing will be impossible with God," this wasn't just about the miracle of virgin conception. It spoke to God's ability to bring joy and purpose out of seemingly impossible situations.
This perspective fundamentally challenges our culture's emphasis on self-determination. While society suggests that joy comes through maintaining control over our lives, Mary's example shows us something different: true joy flows from surrendering control to God's sovereign purpose. Joy doesn't require the absence of difficulty—it requires the presence of God. Mary's life wasn't easy. She faced social stigma, political upheaval, and ultimately witnessed her son's crucifixion. Yet she discovered joy not through perfect circumstances but through trust in God's perfect plan.
I think that this is a good approach to addressing today's mental health challenges. While we should absolutely utilize the resources God provides—therapy, medication when needed, support systems—lasting joy requires something more. It emerges through recognizing and responding to divine interruption, standing firmly on God's promises, and surrendering to His sovereign purpose.
Perhaps the anxiety and depression so prevalent in our society partially stem from our resistance to God interrupting our lives. We might be so focused on maintaining control that we miss God's transformative interventions in our lives. The joy we desperately seek isn't found in better self-help strategies or cultural solutions. It comes through welcoming God's interruptions, trusting His promises, and surrendering to His plan.
The Incarnation story teaches us that God's greatest works often begin with holy interruptions. When we welcome these divine disruptions, trust His promises, and surrender to His plan, we discover something far better than temporary happiness. We find lasting joy—a joy that sustains us through life's challenges and points others to the God who specializes in doing the impossible.
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