Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Divine Appointments


“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.’

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.” (Acts 8:26-40 NIV)

It happened again last night—a divine appointment.  A student believing God wanted her to find a group of Christians on campus stepped into the small conference room in the student union after seeing the sign posted outside.  We were there learning together what it looks like to follow Jesus.  She was there because the Lord had sent her.

If you search the Scriptures, you will find many divine appointments—those times where it is clear God is directing a certain person to a specific place for a specific reason.  In this passage, the Holy Spirit leads Philip to the chariot of an influential Ethiopian official who is struggling to understand the writings of Isaiah in the Old Testament.  His heart is open, but he needs some assistance.  Philip helps him to understand the prophecy regarding Jesus and explains the Gospel.  As a result, the man comes to faith and is baptized.  The story ends, but tradition says the official returned to Ethiopia and proclaimed the Gospel, thereby becoming the first missionary to Africa. 

I have seen many divine appointments in my life.  Years ago, a young man struggling with cancer and the meaning of life heard music coming from a house on the edge of campus and came through the door to find students playing worship music and what he had been searching for. Another time, a student was driving through town, missed his turn, and passed a Christian bookstore.  He didn’t know why at the time, but he decided to go in and clerk asked him if he needed a Bible.  He left with a new Bible, headed up into the mountains, and began to read.  He has been following Jesus ever since.

So when this young woman came into the room last night, I knew it was a divine appointment.  She was there for reasons only known to the Lord, but I can guess it was to find something for which she had long been searching.   

Often we may feel as if God is distant and detached from our lives, but, in reality, He is more engaged than you could imagine.  When we are in need, He even orders our steps to lead us to those who can help us.  Or, when others are in need, to lead them to us so we might help them.  

Today, be on the lookout for divine appointments.  You just never know when the Lord will direct someone to cross your path and the impact it can have when you allow Him to use you.  

© Jim Musser 2014

No comments: