a life interrupted, part 1

In my email signature, under my name, I have this line…

“a life interrupted…by the grace and unreasonable love of God”

It was something that struck me some time back about the miracle of grace in my life motivated by the unreasonable love of God.

The most important interruption in life, of course, is the free gift of eternal life God gives us through his son, Jesus Christ. Life will then continue to have many more God-orchestrated interruptions. As Christ-followers, his interruptions are always for our benefit and his glory, even if they do not look or feel good at the time. Sometimes the interruptions come through pain and brokenness. Sometimes not. For some it may be freedom from an addiction. For another the protection from a bad choice. Or maybe a change in direction. A new relationship. A calling.

This makes me think of a young 34 year old man, pastoring a small church in Tampa, where he and his wife were dearly loved. Southern Keswick radio had a “vote for your favorite pastor” contest and he won! In his congratulations letter to the young pastor, Bill Caldwell, the radio station’s director, states, “I predicted before the contest began that your church would be the winner, and I know of no one else whom I’d rather see take this trip to Quito than you. I know that it will be a time of great spiritual blessing to you, and it is my prayer that the Lord will accomplish all His will as a result of this trip”.

Indeed, a life interrupted.

art HCJB trip
Did this pastor, the last man on the right, know at this moment that God was about to interrupt his life?