The Divine Interruption: Called for an Eternal Purpose

By: Pastor José Flávio Macieira — 2025

Your conversion was not the beginning of God's plan for you; it was the unveiling of a plan that always existed.

“But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me...” (Galatians 1:15-16a NIV)

We plan our lives with a certain order. We have career goals, relationship plans, personal projects. We see any unexpected deviation—a crisis, a loss, an unforeseen opportunity—as an "interruption" to our path. But the story of Paul's conversion teaches us to see things from God's perspective. For Paul, the encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus was not an accident that disrupted his plans; it was the divine interruption he was created for, the fulfillment of a call that existed before he even drew breath.

Paul describes his conversion with a total emphasis on God's sovereignty. He says it happened "when God was pleased." The timing and initiative were entirely God's, not Paul's. And this divine initiative was ancient: God "set me apart from my mother's womb." This is a staggering declaration. It means that even while Saul was furiously persecuting the church, he was already, in God's eyes, a vessel set apart for a glorious purpose. This gives us extraordinary security. It shows that our life is not a series of accidents. God is weaving a story, and His hand is upon us even when we are most distant or unaware of Him, just as it was with the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5).

The engine of this divine interruption is unequivocal: God "called me by his grace." The man who, in the previous verse, prided himself on his zeal and performance in the law, now declares that the sole basis for his calling was grace—the favor he in no way deserved. At the height of his rebellion against Christ, he was targeted by the unmerited love of God. This demolishes any argument that God chooses us based on our goodness, potential, or readiness. He does not call us because we are worthy; He calls us, and in His calling, He makes us worthy. Grace is the engine that turns persecutors into preachers, sinners into saints.

And what was the content of this revelation? What did God want to do in this interruption? "...to reveal his Son in me." Note that Paul doesn't say "to reveal his Son to me," but "in me." The transformation was not merely intellectual, a new set of information about Jesus. It was an internal, existential, and life-altering revelation. God implanted the reality of Christ so deeply into Paul's being that his life became a living expression of Jesus. God's goal for us is the same: not just that we know facts about Christ, but that Christ would be so real in us that our words, attitudes, and character reveal Him to the world. Our life becomes the stage where the reality of Jesus is demonstrated. The greatest interruption of our lives is, in fact, the beginning of our true mission.

Challenge

Look back at your life story, including the detours and difficult moments. Try to identify an event that, at the time, seemed like an interruption, but that today you can see God's sovereign hand using to shape you and draw you closer to His calling. Take time to thank Him for His sovereignty and grace even in the confusing chapters of your life.

Time to Reflect

1. How does the idea that God "set you apart from the womb" impact the way you see your value and purpose?

2. In what way does the truth that you were "called by grace" free you from the pressure to perform for God?

3. What is the difference between knowing facts about Jesus and having Jesus "revealed in you"?

4. If God has a sovereign plan, what is the role of your will and your daily choices?

Prayer

Sovereign God, I marvel at Your plan and purpose for my life, which existed before I was born. Thank you for interrupting me with Your grace and for calling me to Yourself, not because of my merits, but because of Your love. I ask that You not only reveal more about Your Son to me, but that You would reveal Him in me with increasing power each day. May my life be a stage for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

Your greatest crisis might be the preface to your true calling.