New Year as a Holy Interruption

A holy interruption doesn’t politely fit our calendars; it interrupts them. The season announces that sovereignty—not sentiment—has arrived. God steps into the story and into our schedules. He humbles human authority, exposes our pride, and offers bold access to His presence through Jesus Christ. That’s not a disruption to resent; it’s an invitation to receive.

The Lord of Kings and Calendars

Scripture is unblushing about who rules history. The God who sent His Son into the world at the fullness of time also humbles the proud in every age. Read Daniel 4 and watch a king learn that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men.” A holy interruption reminds us: no throne competes with God’s. He orders nations, guides governments, and overrules every plan. His providence holds both the macro—kingdoms—and the micro—our days.

So when life’s unexpected headlines arrive, we can resist the reflex to grasp for control. Instead, we can kneel. Humility is the sane response to sovereignty. The Holy Spirit’s voice is a call not just to celebrate a manger, but to repent of the pride that keeps us from it.

The Radiant Sustainer

Who is this Child? Scripture doesn’t leave us guessing. The Son is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature,” and He “upholds the universe by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). Paul says it this way: “In Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

That means the same Christ who lights up the very being of God also steadies your fractured week, weary heart, and restless mind. A holy interruption intersects real life: delayed flights, sick kids, tight budgets. In the interruptions, the Light of the world isn’t dimmed; He draws near. His providence is not fragile. He doesn’t merely react to our chaos; He reigns over it and gently sustains us through it.

The God-Man Who Knows Our Frailty

Yet the wonder goes deeper. The One who is fully God became fully man. He didn’t sample humanity; He embraced it—without sin. “Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect” so He could be a merciful and faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:14–17). We do not pray into a void. We draw near to a Savior who has felt cold nights, real hunger, and sharp temptation, and yet remained perfectly holy.

Because our Mediator is both divine and human, we are invited to come “with confidence” to the throne of grace to “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16). A holy interruption doesn’t simply tell us that God came; it tells us why: to open unlimited access. The veil is torn. The door is open. The King beckons.

The Light That Exposes Pride—and Guides the Humble

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world” (John 8:12). But light not only warms; it reveals. In Bethlehem’s days, scholars who could quote prophecy missed the Messiah in their own backyard, while foreign magi and humble shepherds ran to worship Him (Matthew 2:1–12; Luke 2:8–20). Complacency can quote verses; humility moves its feet.

A holy interruption therefore calls us to watchfulness. Pride makes us spiritually sleepy, sure that we already see. Humility keeps a lamp lit. We don’t want to be people who admire prophecy but miss the Person. The same radiance that reveals our sin also heals our sight, leading us into a life of responsive prayer, repentance, and obedient faith.

When Glory Interrupts: How to Welcome Him

Here are simple ways to receive God’s “holy interruption” and walk in Christ’s presence with hope:

• Bow to His authority. Each morning, acknowledge Christ’s sovereignty over your day. Pray, “Jesus, be Lord of my schedule, my words, and my responses.”
• Reframe interruptions as invitations. When plans collapse, whisper, “You hold all things together” (Colossians 1:17). Ask, “Lord, what grace are You offering me right now?”
• Draw near with confidence. Set a daily time to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:15–16). Bring your temptations, anxieties, and needs to your High Priest.
• Practice humble repentance. Ask the Spirit to expose subtle pride—defensiveness, hurry, self-importance. Confess it. Embrace the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5–11).
• Walk in the light. Read a Gospel passage daily and ask, “What does Jesus’ radiance reveal about God—and what needs to change in me?” Then obey one concrete step.
• Carry someone to Jesus. Intercede for a friend by name. Your Mediator delights to bring others into His presence through your prayer.

Why This Matters Right Now

Our moment is noisy with claims to power and thick with cynicism. The Spirit’s holy interruption cuts through with a better word: authority belongs to Jesus, and He is not distant. The Child of Bethlehem is the Lord of history, the Light of revelation, and the High Priest who welcomes sinners with mercy. The result is sturdy peace. We do not have to control the world to be faithful in it. We simply need to stay awake to the One who enters it—who entered for us.

A Simple Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, radiance of the Father and our merciful High Priest, interrupt our pride, steady our hearts, and draw us boldly into Your presence. In our disruptions, be our peace. In our temptations, be our help. In our waiting, be our Light. Teach us to live low and walk awake, until the day we see Your glory face to face. Amen.

Further Scripture for Meditation

• Hebrews 1:3 — Christ’s deity, radiance, and sustaining power
• Hebrews 2:14–17 — His full humanity and priestly mercy
• Hebrews 4:15–16 — Unlimited access to the throne of grace
• Colossians 1:17 — He holds it all together
• John 8:12 — Jesus, the Light of the world

Consider this: a holy interruption reveals the sovereign, sustaining, radiant God who became truly human to grant us humble hearts and unhindered access. These interruptions are His invitations—away from complacency, into the light, presence, and peace of Jesus.