Divine Appointments - A Missed Opportunity

Growing up as a shy melancholy, I did not change very much when I first came to Christ. I still hesitated to talk to people, for fear of rejection and ridicule. Yet, I wanted to tell others about God's divine love.

An opportunity arose a few weeks later, when a school chum pulled into the gas station just outside the window of the office where I worked. I knew my boss would not like me to take time away, and I figured my friend was also very busy. 

So I just ran outside for a moment, greeted him and told him I had some good news to tell him as soon as we could get together. He was married to my boyfriend's sister, so I did not think much time would pass before we could chat.

I ran back to my desk, excited that this would be my first opportunity to share with someone about the love and mercy of Christ in my life. A smile adorned my face for the rest of the day.

That very night…my lifelong school friend…committed suicide.

When my boyfriend gave me the news, I was devastated for his wife and their families, but more distraught because the Gospel of Christ may have saved his life both physically and spiritually, if I had only taken the time to speak to him when God gave me the opportunity.

I felt such deep remorse for days. I cried out to the Lord for forgiveness of this sin of omission. At the funeral, I cried more for my failure than I did for his family. I felt bereft and condemned by Satan's shame.

The next day at work, I stared out the window, watching the cars come and go at the gas station next door. I judged myself for my failure and felt such regret that his life ended too young, and that his eternal destiny was already set.

My failure haunted me for weeks, until I stopped rebuking myself long enough to listen to the Lord. The shame of my failure left, but in its place came a dogged determination never to miss another divine appointment to share the love and grace of the Lord.

Prayer:

Father God, Your mercy and grace to forgive our sins of commission and omission humbles us and increases our love for You. I know that You had a plan for my school friend, and he chose to end his life rather than to surrender His life to You (John 3:16-18).

Thank you for the many opportunities You continually give us to share the Good News of the Gospel of Christ with everyone You bring into our life. Help us never to hesitate from fear or human reasoning, but to step out of our flesh and into Your Spirit, and to open our mouth and allow You to fill it by Your Spirit (Psalm 81:10).

Thought for the Day:

Not everyone will accept the Gospel of Christ when we share it with them; but we take them to a crossroad in their life where they have to make a choice to accept or reject the Lord. - John 3:16-18

A Way That Seems Right

Most people hesitate to follow God. They shun Godly advice. They are afraid that God’s commandments and His plan for them are too restrictive. They see hypocrisy in people who are Christian in name only, and they judge all Christians by the behavior of these few deceived individuals.

The few who care about Godly things often follow after false teachers and preachers rather than the true prophets of God.

The Word of God is swift and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It divides our soul’s desires from our spiritual ones. It warns us of the deceitful comments that Satan whispers in our mind, masquerading as words of light. Too often we ignore God’s “red flags” in our spirit and end up in deception. Many children forsake the teaching of their parents and pursue the course of least resistance, following the crowd and ignoring the straight and narrow path.

Here are a few time-worthy verses that describe this place of deception, which many people wander into as adults. People turn their ears from God’s truth and are turned aside, because they end up believing fables (2 Timothy 4:4). They follow their own thoughts, opinions, ideas and convictions, which are contrary to God’s advice (Isaiah 53:6). They go along in life on a fairly bumpy road, following their heart and listening to the proponents that agree with their philosophy.

Eventually, we all come to a crossroads. We are given a choice to do things God’s way or to continue on the godless path we chose. God used Solomon to write the book of Proverbs in order to share with us the advantage of the great wisdom God gifted him with in his lifetime. In three places in this beneficial book, he wrote these exact words: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 14:12; Proverbs 16:25). If God took the time to write these same words repeatedly, I think they are worthy of our attention!

It is so easy for people to succumb to the deception of humanism and carnal appetites and to walk in ways that will bring them to ultimate destruction – both in this life and in the next. Solomon admonishes these foolish people who think they are right in their own eyes. Some erupt in anger if corrected or opposed, or cautioned to wake up before it is too late. The wicked friends they choose lead them astray (Proverbs 12:26; Proverbs 16:29). The sad ending to this drama is that the ones who wander away from Godly understanding will wind up in the company of the spiritually dead (Proverbs 21:16) not only in this life, but also in the next.

Then Solomon contrasts these deceived individuals with the wise who heed Godly counsel. They take the narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14), which leads to life. The righteous carefully choose their friends (Proverbs 12:26). They find life, because in the pathway they choose, there is no spiritual or physical death (Proverbs 12:28). These Godly people will avoid the resulting shame, which will follow the fool (Proverbs 12:15-16). Born Again Saints pass from this mortal life into eternal life (Philippians 3:20), because the experience of death is swallowed up by Christ’s life within us (1 Corinthians 15:54).  

Choose wisely what road you will take when you come to the crossroads of life. Follow the Spirit of God in making your decision. Even though the road is narrow and steep in many places, the Holy Spirit within you will guide your steps (John 16:13) and the Word of God will be a light to your path (Psalm 119:105).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, there is no temptation that any of us fall victim to that is not a common problem for everyone (1 Corinthians 10:13). However, You are faithful. You will not allow any of us to be tempted beyond what we are able to withstand. At the same time, with the temptation, You also gives us a way to escape it and to stand strong against it (1 Corinthians 10:13). We just have to avail ourselves to Your Word and grace, and call upon You as our Savior and Lord (2 Peter 3:18).

Thought for the Day:

What benefit did you obtain from doing things you are now ashamed of? Those actions result in eternal death! – Romans 6:21