Divine Appointments Part III: Final Thoughts

If you are here for the first time, please take a moment to read Part I and Part II of this series on Divine Appointments. 

I could go on and on about the people God has placed in my path.  In fact, I'm sure you'll hear more about them in my future writings.  But, today, as I wrap up this theme, I want you to know that it matters not what I say on the topic.  For I am a lowly servant of a Most High God.  You cannot just take my word for it.  You must match up what I've said with the golden rod of truth.  God's word is truth.  So, get your shovel, because we're going in deep!

You may have heard these stories before and you may have read them once or twice.  One of the amazing things about God is His ability to deliver a fresh, new word to our hearts every single time we read the Bible.  Ask Him to show you something you haven't seen before.  To give you a new nugget of truth to hide in your heart.  Now that your heart is open, please read Acts 10 and Acts 16. 

Some key points to consider:

1.Notice that the divine appointments set up by God for these men were done in different ways.

• God arranged a divine meeting for Cornelius and Peter through visions (Acts 10:3-8; 9-16).  I find it interesting that Cornelius only needed to hear the angel once and he was ready to go!  Peter, on the other hand, took some convincing.  It encourages me that even one of the apostles was a bit hard of hearing when it came to listening (and being obedient) to God!  God also used a vision to show Paul that he should go Macedonia, which he did immediately (Acts 16:9-12).
• God gave Paul discernment to know that Timothy was a man he should get to know better (Acts 16:1-3). 
• God clearly put Lydia (Acts 16:13-15), the slave girl (Acts 16:16-18), the jailer (Acts 16:25-30), and the jailer's family (Acts 16:31-35) in Paul's path. 

2. Ponder what would have happened had these men dismissed their divine appointments as simply chance or coincidence.

• If Cornelius had brushed aside his vision and thought himself crazy, he wouldn't have had the guts to send for Peter.  He would have missed the blessing of his life - the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on him and his people.
• If Peter hadn't been ready to accept what God was telling him in his vision, social status would have kept him from going with the men to meet Cornelius.  He would have missed out on being part of God's bigger plan to bring the Gentiles to Himself.
• If Paul hadn't seen the value in a young man named Timothy, he would have missed a great opportunity to mentor someone who would become a partner in making the name of Jesus famous.
• If Paul had dismissed his vision, he would not have gone to Macedonia, and would have missed seeing many lives saved.

3. Sometimes the divine appointments God has for us do not seem so "divine" at the time.

• Think about the way Peter must have viewed the men who came to see him.  As a Jew, it was unlawful for him to associate with Gentiles.  Though he was being sensitive to the Spirit, I'm sure he felt some hesitation in going with them to meet Cornelius. 
• If a girl approached you and was shouting things at you every day for several days, you may see this as more devilish than divine!  It makes me laugh that it is recorded in Scripture that Paul became "annoyed" with the slave-girl who continually spouted her false prophecies at him.  Notice that God brought this nuisance of a girl in Paul's face every day until he got it!  He finally saw the need to help her! 
• As if dealing with the slave-girl wasn't enough, Paul found himself being arrested for helping her.  He could have viewed his imprisonment as a hardship, cursing God while he was being shackled.  "What a reward for doing the right thing!", he could have grumbled.  Instead, he and Silas lifted up praise to God for being faithful to them thus far.  As a result, the jailer who had arrested him was saved, along with his entire family.

Scripture teaches us that God, in His eternalness, is not confined by space and time.  He is in our past, our present and our future at the same time.  Mind-blowing, yet comforting.  We can know without a doubt that the people who cross our paths are not there by chance.  God wants to use us to be a part of their future in Him.  He is giving us the opportunity to join in His great plan, not only for our lives, but for the lives of others as well.  Let's jump into the rushing waters of His will with both feet!  Let's find out what He is doing in other people's lives and join Him there!  We are the ones who suffer for not getting our feet wet.  We are the ones who miss out on blessings to come when we do not see people through God's eyes. 

I hope that God has used my jumbled thoughts to bring to light the ways that He orchestrates and plans your steps.  My husband brought this segment from ESPN to my attention recently and I want to leave you with it.  It is a bit long, but stick with it til the end.  Watch and marvel at the way our Mighty God works.  Stop believing in chance and coincidence and start believing in a God Who loves you.  He arranges these meetings all the time.  Open your eyes to His appointment book and you will be blessed! 

Divine Appointments, Part II: 9 Years

Today marks the 9th anniversary of the day God healed me.  You can read more on author Mary DeMuth's blog, where my post about 9-11 is being featured today as part of her Thin Places series.  And, if you're interested in more of the story, click the "Why Titanium Woman?" link at the top of my blog.  I am continuing a series on Divine Appointments, so grab a cup of coffee (or Coke Zero!), pull up a chair, and dwell with me on the God Who sets your path straight. 

I find God fascinating.  I am in awe of the way He works and moves.  He constantly surprises me, but remains ever faithful.  The day after I wrote the first installment in this series, I read an entry in the devotional book called For the Write Reasons, by Marybeth Whalen.  The book is a compilation of the experiences of 31 Christian writers, publishers, and editors.  For this particular entry, Marybeth interviewed Thelma Wells, a well-known author and speaker for the Women of Faith conferences.  God knocked my socks off as I read these words:

After the release of her second book, Thelma continued to ponder the obstacles she had overcome.  She realized that she had personally witnessed countless small miracles in her life.  "People call them 'situations' or 'circumstances' or 'coincidences' ", she says.  "But, I don't believe that.  I believe we have divine appointments every day."

Wow!  God has centered my mind on this exact thought for the past month.  He even set up this "divine appointment" so that I would read these words at the very time that I needed them. 

Every year, when the anniversary of one of the worst days in American history rolls around again, I am forced to take a look back at the miraculous circumstances of my life.  September 11, 2001 - a horrible memory for most - is a bittersweet day of celebration for me.  It is the day that changed my life.  The day causes me to reflect even more on the prearranged meetings of my life.   

Today, I choose to remember the people God used to bring me healing.  Those people God strategically placed in my path to help me, physically and spiritually.  Some who didn't even know they were being used.

There was the family physician who sent me to get X-rays when I began to experience daily pain.  Though I was not happy with the way his office handled many things, it was ultimately his perseverance that pushed me to find a specialist.  It was his nurse who sent me to a neurosurgeon by mistake.  Had she actually checked to see if this doctor performed spinal surgery prior to sending me on a 6-hour drive to Atlanta to see him, I might never have met one of the best spinal surgeons in the country. 

You see, this neurosurgeon "happened" to be close friends with a spinal specialist who "happened" to also be in Atlanta.  With one phone call, he arranged for me to see this amazing surgeon that same day (for any of you who have dealt with doctors, you know this is a miracle in itself!).  I had a divine appointment with Dr. William Horton, an angel in scrubs, who literally walked out of the OR to see me late in the afternoon, as his office closed for the day.  Though Dr. Horton described my anatomy as "goofy", he said that my body was exactly the way God designed it, and I thanked the LORD for a physician who understood His creation.  He and his nurse, Jean, listened intently to my issues and gave me hope.   

The surgery was scheduled and we began to prepare for the difficult road ahead.  Some wonderful friends of ours offered their home for our coming and going to Atlanta for testing, and a place of rest for my husband and mom who alternated nights with me in the hospital.  They treated us as family, never making our stay seem like an imposition. 

Yet another angel was placed in our midst once we arrived in Atlanta.  A pastor in every sense of the word, this man walked into our hospital room and became an instant friend.  A couple we knew from our church back home told him we were there, so he came and offered prayers, food, and anything else he thought we needed.  My walk with the LORD has been greatly altered by knowing this man of God.  There is much more to say about him that I will have to save for another post.

The morning of my surgery, I was prepped and wheeled back before the terror began. How Dr. Horton tuned out the events of that day to expertly perform a 10-hour surgery on my spine, only God knows.  God had placed me under the hand of this doctor for this day.  God knew what would happen.  He knew that the news might have caused another surgeon's hands to shake and his scalpel to slip.  He knew that Dr. Horton would remain calm and focused. 

All of the nurses took great care of me while I was in the hospital, but one in particular grabbed our hearts.  Her name was Jacquelyn and she ran her floor with the precision of an army commander.  I entered the hospital with an infection that had to be eradicated before I could have surgery.  I was placed on very strong antibiotics that made me sick, but Jacquelyn was there to comfort and calm me.  She told me to call her if I needed her at any time while I was there in the hospital and she would come.  We were disappointed to find that she was not assigned to me when I came out of surgery.  But God saw to it that she was there the night that I got terribly ill with a staph infection after the 2nd operation.  It was her organizational skills and gumption that got the attention of the entire nursing staff that night.  If it weren't for her, I feel sure that the illness would have gotten much worse.  Because of her quick action, I was diagnosed and was getting the medication I needed by morning.  My husband and I still laugh at the gentle, yet firm way she ordered him around.  She affectionately called him "Private Duty", as she "trained" him to become my nurse for our return home.   

There were many others who touched us in some way throughout my hospital stay and 3-month recovery.  Believing that the stories I've shared here were mere coincidences would be dishonoring the power of my God.  I was forced to look at my life differently through years of disabling pain, two major operations and a long road of learning to stand, sit, and walk again.  What will it take for God to get your attention?  What circumstance will God have to use to open your eyes to His Will that He is revealing all around you?

Next in this series, we will look at the Scriptures that show us how God sets our appointment book for the day.  This weekend, try not to override God's plans with your own agenda.  Let Him order your steps.  Trust me.  It's easier that way.