Pastor’s pen: Pencilling
in some Divine Appointments
Life is so busy. Sometimes to stop and reflect on what we
have crammed into our days may give us pause to reflect on the distinct lack of
margin in our schedule. The temptation is to feel most important and purposeful
when our schedules are chock-a-block. The danger is, however, if we leave no
space in our daily list of to-do’s that we end up rushing past many potentially
life-changing opportunities that we are too busy to even recognise. But the
reality is that God has ordained opportunities for us to connect with people;
occasions that often open the door for us to witness to the truth about Jesus. These
are divine
appointments that God wants us to pencil in to our daily schedule.
1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always
be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for
the hope that you have.” We may be racing
through life and thinking we never have any opportunities arise that give us
the opportunity to share the hope we have in Jesus, but note the part of the
verse that says “everyone who asks you”.
In order for someone to feel safe enough to ask us why we can be so hopeful we
actually have to stop have a conversation and, ready for it, LISTEN to them!
Over the past few weeks I have had quite a few opportunities
arise in which I have been able to share my hope with people. But this has not
been possible without first listening to them. These opportunities have been in
waiting rooms, hospital wards and even on aeroplanes. But just because the
person we strike up a conversation with opens the door for us to speak about
Jesus, that doesn’t mean we take that opportunity in an arrogant or a prideful
way. The verse in 1 Peter finishes by saying we should be doing our sharing, “…with gentleness and respect…”
Ultimately the results of our sharing with others is up to
God’s working in the situation and that is why we need to be sensitive to what
the Holy Spirit is saying, to know whether this is a divine appointment
presenting itself. But in order to sense the Holy Spirit’s promptings we need
to leave some margin in our schedules so we aren’t so busy rushing to the next
thing that we miss the opportunity to pencil in a Divine Appointment.
Ps Steve
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