Divine Appointments

Acts 8:26-40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “Queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet.  The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7-8)

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”  Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”  And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Have you ever wanted to be used by God in more significant ways Friend? I think we all feel that way from time to time.  Even myself.  Sure, I try to be faithful with the ministry that God has given me, but in a digital ministry often the feedback is limited.  And the truth is I really do love people and want to know that I am making a difference in others’ lives, a transformational difference.  I was praying about that last week, and wouldn’t you know as is usually His custom, God answered my prayer!

I was running some errands last week with my wife, and I was feeling particularly antsy.  Have you ever got that feeling? Well, she wanted to stop at the shop to have them look at her truck that was acting up, so we did, but after a few minutes it became evident that this was not going to be a quick 2-minute job, so I decided to walk to the grocery store and pick up a few things that I needed to grab anyway.  One of the things I love about living in small town USA though is meeting people you know wherever you go.  Of course, I met a few people in the store and got caught up quick on all that was going on in their lives currently.  Then as I walked across the parking lot this man waved.  He was a local, and I had seen him drive by and wave many times and even talked a few times.  But today he stood in the parking lot a little awkwardly, like he had something on his mind, he walked towards me, so I walked over to say hi.

For the next ten minutes or so he poured out his heart to me about the pain he was feeling, his life story, the hurt, the betrayal he had experienced, his worries, his fears, and his questioning God.  It all came tumbling out like an avalanche that had been triggered by just one word.

In the midst of the encounter, I realized this was the moment I had prayed about I had asked God for.  This was a “Divine Appointment” The errands, my wife’s truck acting up, the antsy-ness I felt, it had all worked together at the perfect timing.  It reminded me of Phillip and the Ethiopian in Acts Chapter 8. After I listened for a while and let the man, John is his name, let it all out. I prayed with him right there in the parking lot.  With, I hope, a bit of the weight lifted off his soul, he thanked me and headed towards the store.

So today pray that God would set some divine appointments up for you.  And as it says in

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

Prayer: Jesus. I want to be used by you today.  Help me to be others focused today, and open to the leading and guiding of your Spirit.  Allow me to have a peace as I let you ordain my schedule as you put me in the right place at the right time to be a blessing to someone else, and give me the words to say that might speak to the soul of whomever you are calling me to reach.

Amen.

Point to Ponder: In Mark 16:15 Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the good news.” Have we, (have I) neglected that command passing it off on to the “professional Christians” as if it does not apply to me?  How does God want to use me as His witness to touch the lives of others?

Verse to Memorize and Meditate on: Acts 26:16 Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.

Application: Look today (and everyday) for one person, who’s life you can touch in a special way in the name of Jesus.

Leave a comment below to share what God spoke to you specifically in this passage.