After a while, the mother started regretting her harshness with her daughter. She went to the door of her daughter’s room, cracked it open, and heard her daughter praying this prayer: “And forgive us our Christmases, as we forgive those who Christmas against us.”

That’s a prayer you may need to pray right now: “God forgive me for missing the main meaning of Christmas. Forgive me for thinking that it is found in all the outward trappings of the Season, all the routines, traditions and schedules. Help me to see that the real meaning of Christmas is found in You breaking into this world in Jesus Christ and then breaking into my life to do something new.”

The interruptions of Christmas call you to acknowledge your need for God to break into your life. Secondly, these interruptions call you to

Ask Jesus Christ to Break In!

They summon you to invite Jesus to break into your life.

Parents and grandparents, I have a great line for you to say to your children or grandchildren on Christmas Day if they start complaining that they didn’t get what they wanted for Christmas. Just sit them up on your lap, look them in the eye, and say: “Well, it isn’t your birthday!”

Remember this: it isn’t your life. If you want to trust in Jesus as your Savior and follow Him as your Lord, it isn’t your life. Your life is Christ’s life! As the Scripture says: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (I Cor. 6:19-20). So invite Jesus Christ to break into your life and to do what He wants to do.

Here’s a one sentence prayer for you to pray every day in the New Year ahead: “Lord Jesus Christ, I invite you to break into my life in a new way today.” Pray this prayer every day with full sincerity of heart and watch what Jesus Christ will do!

Acknowledge your need for God to break into your life. Ask Jesus Christ to break in. And here is the third concrete action that the interruptions of Christmas call you to:

Look at Interruptions Not as Obstacles but as Opportunities

See them as opportunities for God to work in new and wonderful ways in your life. This is what Mary did. This is what Joseph did. This is what the Shepherds did. This is what the Wise Men did. In turn, they saw the glory of God manifested in their lives.

Many of the most significant, influential and impacting moments of our lives are not on our appointment calendars and pre-planned schedules.

This is true for the everyday, mundane interruptions of life — the unexpected phone call, the chance encounter, the unplanned delay in the middle of your day. Sometimes the whole course of our lives hinges on moments like these. These everyday interruptions may seem like inconveniences, but they are actually opportunities to see God work if you will have eyes to see.

This is true for the happy, joyous interruptions of life. Think about it. Who could schedule the moment you first fall in love, or your child’s first steps, or your grandchild’s first words? You can’t put such important moments on your appointment calendar.

This is also true for the heartbreaking interruptions of life. Who would try to schedule the death of a loved one, the moving away of a friend, the loss of a job, a financial setback or a major illness? These interruptions disrupt our neatly planned, tightly wrapped, well-ordered lives. But they are also stepping stones to a new and deeper life with God. They become some of the most profound opportunities we will ever have to experience the glory of God in our lives.

This Christmas, you don’t need a piece of paper pinned to your pants to remind you of these truths. All you need is a manger, a cross, an empty tomb, a living Savior who says to you: “Acknowledge your need for God to break into your life. Invite Me to do it. Look at interruptions not as obstacles but as opportunities. And yes, you will have moments when — like the shepherds outside Bethlehem — you are terrified by the interruptions. But I will be there saying ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. For this very day I will be born afresh into the circumstances and challenges of your life!’”

So go ahead. Pray that prayer. Pray it this Christmas. Pray it everyday in the New Year ahead. Pray it right now: “Lord Jesus Christ, I invite you to break into my life in a new way today!” Amen!

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Mike Coppersmith is Senior Pastor of Our Savior's Community in Palm Springs, CA.