Divine Appointments

While I was scavenging around the Internet the other day I ran across a term I had not heard before but in an instant knew that I had hit on something I wanted to think more about. The term is “Divine Appointment”. Sounds catchy, doesn’t it. A Google search on “divine appointment” yields about 150,000 hits so the term has been around for a while.

First, let me define “Divine Appointment” as I interpret it: A divine appointment is a “planned meeting” which was arranged and led by God, where he wants you to take a specific action.

God is sovereign. He is all knowing and all-powerful. I don’t believe that God often intervenes in what we do or how we do it other than through the Holy Spirit’s guidance. But I also believe that God is not one to pass up an opportunity when He sees one, especially if that opportunity will profit His kingdom or benefit one or more of His followers.

Here is an example of a divine appointment that God arrange for me. I was having a conversation with a very close friend of mine when out of the blue he asked me if I was still reading the Bible much. Now this fellow knows me well enough to know that I am an avid Bible reader. Of course I jumped through the door my friend had just opened and began to explain to him how much scripture has helped me and how our trust in God is guiding us through our journey. We talked for quite a while about it and I offered to talk more with him whenever he was ready.

I believe that God saw the spark of curiosity in my friends mind and “Arranged” for us to meet and talk that morning. The specific action that God had in mind for me was to provide testimony about God’s grace and love, which I hope I fulfilled.

I do not believe that several years ago, before I had Jesus in my heart and the Holy Spirit to guide me, I would have had the courage to jump through that door and openly profess my faith for fear of saying the wrong thing. But Mark recorded the following words of Jesus that encourage us to talk, for the Holy Spirit will guide what we say.

Mark 13:11 -- do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

And the Apostle Paul tells us not to be ashamed of our belief in the gospel.

Romans 1:16-17 -- For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’*

I am beginning to look for those Divine Appointments that God provides and will do my best to do the work that God asks of me.  If I do not recognize at first that God has made the appointment for me I am sure that the Holy Spirit will give me a smack across the back of my head and point it out to me.  The specific action that God asks us to take as a result of His divine appointment will range from talking about scripture to helping someone in need.

Keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in to what is going on around you.  You will be invited to a divine appointment.


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