Throughout my day, I am always looking for things that happen out of the ordinary in order to see God at work. I call those, “Divine Appointments.” When you find yourself doing something that was not planned, it could be a “Divine Appointment.” Let’s call them DA’s. When your order is messed up in a drive thru and you have to go back for the rest of your meal – that was a DA. You forgot your phone on your desk when you leave for a meeting – DA. Someone stops you in the hallway while you are on your way to pick something up – DA. These DA’s happen all day long. The difference between someone who sees them as interruptions and someone who sees them as opportunities is a focus issue.
Tucked away in 2 Chronicles 22:10-24:15, is a story of Joash who was hidden away from his grandmother because she wanted to do away with the whole royal family of the house of Judah. She found that her son, Ahaziah died and she was mad. So she set out to kill all of her son’s family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash, son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. He was hidden for six years while grandma Athaliah ruled the land. That was definitely a DA. God was at work behind the scenes. Soon, Joash became king at the ripe old age of seven. He reigned in Jerusalem for forty years. “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest. When Jehoiada died, that is when Joash turned wicked. What is the lesson to be learned? I am glad you asked. God used Jehoiada to spur on many DA’s. He used Jehosheba initially to protect Joash from being killed. Throughout the story you realize that these DA’s are brought on through faithful followers of the Almighty God. Be on the lookout for DA’s. Without you being available and discerning the little disruptions from time to time, you will not see the DA’s that God has for you to experience. It’s amazing to look at your day with those lenses. It actually turns interruptions into opportunities. You are much more prepared to go with the flow than you are to complain about the disruption. When seeing God at work all around you, you are much quicker to see DA’s than you are to see coincidences. In John 5, at the pool of Bethesda, people would lay along the side of the pool and try to be the first one in to be healed of their ailment. Jesus comes along and talks to a man who was lying there for years. He was an invalid and could not be the first one in the water. But he was persistent. That was not enough. Jesus basically asked him if he really wanted to be healed. Long story short, Jesus healed him. The Jews proceed to call Him out on healing this man on the Sabbath. Here is Jesus response to them: 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” John 5:17. So embrace interruptions in your day because it may be the Heavenly Father wanting to do more than you could ever imagine. He may want to use you for His next DA. “Lord, use me today. Help me to be ready for where you are working and that I may put aside my agenda in order to see your amazing agenda.” Joy in Jesus! Pastor Mike
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Rev. Mike McClurgSenior Pastor, Findlay First Church of the Nazarene Archives
March 2020
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