A Word about Divine Appointments

Divine appointments are those times when we most clearly perceive the hand of the Lord in arranging our circumstances, especially in relationship to other people.

For instance, when we're broken down on the side of the road and a kind person stops to help--who "just so happens" to be Christian--we reflect on the situation and consider how God put all that together. Or, those times when we're in a waiting room and notice a woman reading a book like The Case for Christ, so we strike up an evangelistic conversation and pray that she comes to know the Lord. These types of events are encouraging for us, as we sense God's involvement in our lives more deeply and tangibly.

But what about the 99.99% of life that isn't a "divine appointment"?

First, we do well to recognize that each and every moment of our lives is a divine appointment. The Lord doesn't take a break from being sovereign. He is always working all things together for His glory and the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose. As that old Confession says, "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass."

Second, we would also do well to realize that more of the deep and tangible sense of God's involvement in our lives is available to us. When we pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18), walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), and are led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), we will experience more of the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17). But this takes some effort on our end. We must yield ourselves to God (Romans 6:13) and take care not to quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). This is a moment-by-moment task that brings forth the fruit of spiritual awareness--or, you could say, divine appointments.

Keep the eyes of your heart open and seek the Lord in every area of life today.