Divine Appointment

In my last Reveration (Asking) I shared about meeting Jeff Knight at a Founder’s Day Banquet.  The following Wednesday I was standing beside the plane at the Denver airport waiting for my bag to be delivered.  Next to me was an elderly gentleman who asked me what my job was (I was in uniform).  I explained to him that I was responsible for Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) for the United States Army Reserves.  He then shared that he once served as the Professor of Military Science (PMS) for Wheaton College.  Knowing Wheaton’s admission standards for the PMS position, I asked the gentleman if he was a Christian.  Indeed he was.  Then I noticed that he was wearing a sweater with the Army mule emblem.  I asked him if he was a West Point graduate.  Indeed he was—graduating in 1952.  He then shared that his wife’s brother-in-law was also a classmate of his and that his name was (are you ready!!!) Jeff Knight. 

Meditation
1 Samuel 25:23,24--When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey and fell with her face to the ground in front of David. She fell at his feet and said, "The guilt is mine, my lord, but please let your servant speak to you directly. Listen to the words of your servant.
 
David was on the way with his men to kill Nabal, a man who refused to help him in his time of need and who treated him rudely.  David’s anger was justified but his intended course of action was not. God was merciful and through a servant of Nabal who observed his master’s shabby conduct, warned Abigail, Nabal’s wife, what her husband had done.  She quickly put together provisions and hastened to meet David. Through her words in the passage above and actions in providing food, she prevented David from taking rash action. He said to her, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!” (25:32)  Abigail was a divine appointment.  

What are the odds of me meeting for the first time a 1952 West Point graduate in Portland and then his brother-in-law in Denver within one week?  Chuck Wallis was a divine appointment.  Through meeting him, I gained two more men who want to pray for their classmates as part of the Long Eternal Line.  Chuck bought me dinner in the airport and shared some of his life story which was fascinating.  I gained a new friend and was encouraged to keep doing the ministry God has called me to do.  
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Never underestimate what God wants to do in your life.  He may protect you from doing something you would later regret by bringing an Abigail at the perfect moment to stop you.  He may bless you by causing someone to cross your path that is equipped to further your efforts or to give you a word of encouragement.  He may use you to bring hope to someone in despair. I can’t imagine how much joy God has orchestrating meetings—but I can tell you from experience (with chills as I write this), He loves to work in and through our lives if we will but trust Him and give Him the glory!  You never know who you might run into at the airport . . . but God does and that’s something to think about . . . in reveration! 
 
Inspiration
A chance encounter may be better than an appointment.—Arabic proverb
Appeasing is not necessarily a bad thing. If it calms anger, eases fear, or soothes pain we may vote for it.  But if we placate what is wrong it will be to our own peril.  
It is not uncommon today to find supervisors who would rather tolerate mediocrity than risk offending the substandard leader by administering discipline or corrective action.  While appeasing a weak leader may accomplish temporary peace, over time it rots the very guts of an organization. First, it demeans those who uphold high standards. Second, it communicates satisfaction with the leader who is unsatisfactory.  Third, it encourages those who watch persistent tolerance to themselves become tolerant. Fourth, it reveals insecurity and perhaps cowardice in the supervisor unwilling to take corrective action.  Fifth, it prolongs problems which eventually will lead to an organization’s undoing.  As Winston Churchill said, “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile—hoping it will eat him last.”
 
©2011 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the "Click here to receive weekly devotionals" box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)