Excerpt from God's Heart Chapter:
OPEN TO DIVINE APPOINTMENTS
Some of the most amazing moves of God that I have experienced were not in a church, but in divine appointments that God had placed in my life. We work so hard to garner the presence of God to fall at our church services, but it is when we are not even looking for God, that He shows up in a mighty way. I have realized that it is not enough just to praise God to reach the depths of His heart, but to seek Him in everything because He reveals Himself through the most unattractive situations.
I can remember one time when I was dropping off the students in our church's tutoring program. I had to rush back to church to attend an important meeting. Anyone that really knows me knows that I hate to be late more than anything. I am very controlled in trying to make sure that I am on time for my responsibilities.
As I was exiting the freeway, I noticed that the exit ramp was backed up because someone's car had stalled. When the traffic light turned green, cars just went around the stalled car. When I approached the car I had an attitude because I knew I was going to be late for church. As I began to go around the stalled car and saw that the owner was desperately trying to push his car out of the way, God spoke to my heart and instructed me to help him. Has God ever spoken to your heart in the midst of your busyness?
When I pulled over, I helped the gentleman who was still trying to move his car but he could not do it with his own strength. We ended up pushing the car into an empty parking lot. He was thankful for the help and as I was about to leave him with his car, (so that I could hurry to the church meeting), God spoke to my heart again and told me, "Ask him if he needs a ride somewhere." Of course I asked, but I questioned God saying within myself: "What about church?"
As I drove the man to his destination, he began to tell me about his struggle with his relationship with God and how he was at a crossroads in his faith in God. He began to ask me questions, and the spirit of God began to speak into both of our lives. God began to use me and share things about the man through me that only He would have known. As the presence of God filled the car, strongholds in both of our lives began to come down. In that car ride, I saw Jesus like I never saw Him before.
Before his car stalled, the young man was on his way to a church bible study that a friend urged him to come to. He told me that when the car stopped on him, he was scared because he was in an area across town from where he lived. He had no means to contact his friend at the church and he felt that his situation was hopeless. Then, at his lowest point, he prayed and God told him not be afraid because help was on the way. So, he waited and then I showed up. As he got out of the car to enter into the church, I was awestruck at the power of God, to be able to use me even when I was not looking to be used. We were both headed to church and we were both detoured, so that we could meet Jesus, and forever have our lives impacted by His visitation. "Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit." (Job 10:12)
Through divine appointments we find the heart of God and are forever changed by His presence. We do not have to find people to minister to; our lives just have to be open to the spirit of God so that He can place us in our rightful position, allowing His grace to touch His sheep. Our divine appointments are never convenient to our daily routine; they completely mess up our agenda and schedule. God wants to use us, but we have to be willing to disregard our agenda for His agenda when He calls on us.
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