09/25/2023
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"Divine Appointments: Trusting God in Life's Unexpected Encounters"
Ever had one of those moments in life when something happens that's so perfectly timed, you can't help but wonder if it's more than just coincidence? Well, Pastor Joe recently shared with us Acts 8:26-40, where something pretty amazing unfolds, and it's a reminder that the Holy Spirit has a way of bringing us these incredible divine appointments. You know, the kind that just feel too perfectly timed to be accidental. And speaking of perfect timing, there's a great quote by Jonathan Edwards that Joe shared with us as well about how Christ's blessings flow as freely as a river. Intriguing, right?
🚶‍♂️ Ordered Steps: In this passage, we meet Philip, who's led by the Spirit to a wilderness road. And guess what? He bumps into an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official, who's reading Scripture but needs a bit of guidance to fully grasp it. Now, this encounter wasn't a random crossing of paths. It's a powerful reminder that our steps are guided by a higher plan, leading us to moments that carry deeper meaning.
đź’§ Abundant Grace: Imagine Christ's blessings like a never-ending river of grace. They're there to sustain us through life's twists and turns, providing comfort and guidance in those wild and unexpected moments.
💔 Sharing Burdens: Let me share a personal story with you. It was a summer evening when a grieving teenager, having just lost his father, needed someone to lean on. It was one of those divine appointments, a moment that couldn't have been just chance. I was there to listen, to empathize, and to pray with him. I was a college student at the time, and I didn’t know all that I know now, but God used that moment in both of our lives. I will never forget it because I learned about “trust-filled surrender” that night (Bovick quote Joe shared with us). I learned what it means to trust God when you don’t know what to say. I learned that I could surrender myself to God and entrust that he would lead me to more and more of these divine appointments.
🙏 Our Great High Priest: And speaking of trust and surrender, let's not forget about Jesus, our great high priest. He totally gets what we go through because He's been there, too. Tempted in every way, yet without sin. He's our anchor, our hope, and our guide when life takes us on unexpected journeys.
Conclusion:
So, as we navigate life's twists and turns, let's keep our eyes open for those divine appointments, those moments that remind us we're part of something bigger.
Let's be like rivers of grace, sharing comfort and hope with others, just as we've received from our great high priest, Jesus Christ. In embracing life's unexpected encounters, we find purpose and meaning in the seemingly coincidental.
Are you ready to actively seek and embrace those divine appointments?
