Chance Encounters and Divine Appointments

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:22 NLT
 
Have you ever had a chance meeting that seemed way beyond coincidence? Running into an old friend at the grocery store, meeting someone who is the missing piece in your entrepreneurial venture, or encountering a person who desperately needs God’s love and you just “happen” to be there to share it with them. I call those divine appointments...

I call those “divine appointments”—something only God can line up. Sometimes they’re super fun when they happen and sometimes they can be incredibly instrumental in your or another person’s future.
 
I had one of those experiences recently. I was considering inviting a dear friend to the movies with me, but it was really last minute and I had errands to run first. I wasn’t even sure I could make it to the theater in time. So, I never called her or reached out... but when I walked into the theater, she was there! 
 
How often does something like that happen? It was so fun and we both knew only God could orchestrate this “chance meeting” for us to enjoy time together with our mutually busy schedules.
 
Life is like that. God is like that. He cares about every detail of your life – the big ones like career or relationship decisions and the small ones like a special afternoon with a friend.
 
Think of it—the Bible is full of “divine appointments” that God in his wonderful wisdom ordained. Elisha being found by Elijah while he was plowing in the field and receiving the prophetic mantle. (1 Kings 19:16) Mary encountering Jesus in the garden before he had ascended to the Father. (John 20:16-17) Philip running into the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Queen of Ethiopia, and sharing the gospel. (Acts 8:26-31)
 
Here’s Philip’s encounter: “The Holy Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and walk along beside the carriage.’ Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ The man replied, ‘How can I, unless someone instructs me?’ And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” (Acts 8:26-31)
 
Through this very divine appointment, this man of such great authority with the queen of another nation gained a new understanding of the Messiah and committed his life to the Lord. Can you imagine the far-reaching effect as he shared his new-found faith with the queen?
 
You may be wondering how much time you will need to spend in prayer before anything like that happens to you. Simple answer? I think it’s more of an attitude of awareness of God’s presence with a genuine desire to be in tune with his Spirit. To want to please him, to want to walk on his pathway and in the good steps that he has laid out before you.
 
For example, although I spend time in God’s word and in prayer daily, I didn’t “labor” in prayer about going to the movies the afternoon I ran into my friend. It was in my heart and last minute, I went.
 
Will you always get it right? I’m sure I’ve missed opportunities because of my own “busyness” or silliness or even laziness. I’m sure there have been times when I’ve chosen “my way” over the way God was nudging me towards. 
 
But I trust God. I trust he has my best interests in mind. I trust that he cares about the smallest details. And so I do my best to listen and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I know that God has good things planned for me, if I’ll choose to take the steps. 
 
Today, I pray you’ll take time to seek God, listen for his voice and receive his guidance. May your heart be ever aware of his presence. Perhaps he has a life-changing—or fun—divine encounter for you today!

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." Psalm 37:22