Divine Appointment

Yesterday was another busy day. I did not leave the office until 5:45 p.m. and needed to be at two places at one time by 6:00 p.m. Turner had meet the teacher at his school and Tucker had football practice both at 6:00 p.m. Brenda was already busy with taking Tanner to pick out his band instrument and then to his football practice.

I rushed home and made it to Turner’s school. Brenda rescued me by taking Tucker to his practice as well. Turner and I made it to Tucker’s practice (where I am supposed to be helping coach) about thirty minutes before it ended. In all of the rush of the day I had barely even thought about football practice. I was tempted to not even show up for the last few minutes but I gave my word. I had no idea what God had in mind. When it ended I struck up a conversation with a businessman which turned out to be a divine appointment.

I asked him how business was going and we talked about some other surface level things for awhile. Without warning or expectation God turned the conversation to serious spiritual matters. This man knows I am the new pastor of FBC Seminole and he began talking about the number of people in his life that have been close to him who died. He just lost a close friend who was murdered tragically only days before. He told me he has a hard time letting go when people he loves die and he has a lot of questions but most people skirt the questions for fear of offending him. He wanted straight talk.

We did not have time to get into his questions but I knew the Lord had opened a door even if it was just a crack to go deeper into spiritual matters on the practice field so I barged in. I quoted two scriptures that came to mind. I quoted my all time favorite verse; [Phil 1:21], “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” We talked about when you have Jesus in your heart death is not something to fear but rather something to look forward to because of the hope of Heaven. I explained to him that the word gain Paul used meant profitable or lucrative.

My new friend is pretty successful. He doesn’t have to say so. I see what he drives and have been to his place of business and seen the success of what he does. I told him it would be easy to live for this world and to seek to live to make ourselves more at home in this world. When a person lives for this world, death is something to fear and to try to fight off. Death is the enemy for every person who tries to insulate himself from death by the comforts and luxuries of life but all these things fade in time.

Next, I quoted [Matt 16:26], “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” I allowed the weight and truth of God’s word to sink deep into his mind and his heart. I could tell he was mulling over that truth. We discussed setting up a lunch appointment to talk further.

God allowed me to witness for Him by simply listening to the comment, “I’m having a hard time letting go.” God divinely appointed that conversation and that comment. God orchestrates such conversations all the time if we are listening with spiritual ears. He is guiding topics and conversations so that His truth might be proclaimed outside the walls of church. Are we really listening to other people and what they are saying? Do we hear the clear cut cry of their souls as they search for answers and meaning to the confusion of life?

God wants to speak to us and through us if we are willing to be His vessels. People are asking the right kind of questions. God is drawing those people into relationships with us so we can be ambassadors for Christ to people who may never darken the door of our churches. We have to be ready at a moment’s notice when God gives us those divine encounters and sways conversations toward spiritual matters. I am grateful that God allowed me to speak to my new friend. I look forward to our lunch together. Now, I challenge you to listen attentively to what people are saying and asking. God very well may be opening a door for you to talk about spiritual matters as well. Be ready in season and out of season to speak a word for Christ for divine appointments await you.