Psalms 37:23-24 (NKJV) The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Pastor Jeff Rabe stopped by Route 65 the other day. He was picking up some arrows he’d had me make up, as well as a bit of conversation.
I shared with him a conversation I’d just concluded with a gentleman I’d never met prior to that day. The man and I had discussed Harleys, of course. However, as our connection began to strengthen, our conversation deepened. We talked about the history of Harley-Davidson, America, generational differences, society and inevitably, faith. It was a wonderful conversation, one I hadn’t planned on or expected. I left feeling energized, connected to another believer and God.
As I finished sharing my experience with Jeff, he simply responded with, “divine appointment!” “Indeed”, I replied. After Jeff and I parted company, I couldn’t stop pondering his simple statement. “It was just exactly that, a divine appointment.” Anyone who knows me, knows I firmly adhere to the understanding that there are no coincidences. That gentleman and I were appointed to meet, connect and share, at that time and place. Not only that, it was divinely inspired and purposed. There was a need, though I’m not sure exactly what it was, that God determined to fill.
As I pondered on this notion of “divine appointments”, I couldn’t help but wonder. How often does God set these appointments for me? My speculation, multiple times a day. I’m engaged in one right this moment with each and every one of you. In fact, this appointment is the result of another He set nearly 5 years ago. He set up a “divine appointment” with Mike Sereg and myself in that very same showroom. From that appointment, a friendship grew and ultimately led to me doing this with all of you.
Jeff’s statement also got me wondering, how often do I miss, ignore or under appreciate the appointments He sets for me? How often do I get frustrated because things aren’t going as I believed they should? Something as simple, though discouraging, as being held up in traffic or line. That may be the necessary mitigator to place me in the path of the “appointment” He has set for me. How often do I look at it like that? Scripture is rife with examples of God orchestrating His appointments. Not all of them are pleasant, what the person expects or wants. Take, for instance, Paul’s trip to Philippi in the book of Acts chapter 16. God directed him to detour to Macedonia and there, Paul is thrown into prison. Now, I assume that Paul didn’t know he was headed to prison when he obeyed, but had he disobeyed, that would have been avoided. However, God’s intent was for Paul to keep the appointment set for him, so that the jailer and his family would be saved.
This understanding could be a total game changer, folks. If we allow it to be. Your car broke down? Inconvenient, costly, disheartening… surely. Or, could it be a “divine appointment”. Plans change unexpectedly and you end up here instead of there, with this person instead of the other? “Divine appointment”? My point is that it could, and likely is, that most of our day consists of, by His design, “divine appointments”. Appointments set by Him, for His purpose and for your’s and other’s sake. Our life is a tapestry of “divine appointments” woven masterfully by our loving Father. Will we joyfully seek those appointments and determine to fulfill them? Or, will we choose to ignore or spurn them, allowing God’s woven work of art to become a moth eaten rag? Have a blessed weekend.
In full pursuit of the greatest Trophy,
Scott Pace
