“I was taught a powerful lesson yesterday,” Stan began.
“What was going on?” I responded.
“I had an appointment with a fellow over in Pleasanton. We were going to talk about starting a new fellowship group at the church he attends.”
“How’d it go?” I asked.
“Once I got there, it was just fine, but the lesson occurred on the way,” Stan said.
He then continued, “There was some road construction that caused traffic to back up because only one lane was open. The flagger would stop traffic until it was clear to go through.”
“I was stopped at the front of the line, feeling more than a little agitated that I was going to be late for my appointment. That is when the lesson occurred.”
“The flagger came over, I rolled down the window and he told me it would be about a ten-minute wait until it was clear to go through. The fellow then said, ‘I hope you’re not in a hurry.’”
“What did you say?“ I asked.
“I told him I was going to be a bit late getting to a church in Pleasanton. He asked me which one, and when I told him he said he lived in Pleasanton and had been thinking of checking that church out.”
Stan then continued, “I believe that the Lord had a divine appointment for me with that flagger. We spent the next ten minutes talking about church and the difference the Lord had made in my life and in my eternal destination. I gave him one of the pocket testaments I always carry with me, the one that has the Gospel of John, an explanation of the plan of salvation, and how to accept Christ. The fellow thanked me.”
“Great story,” I responded.
“Yeah,” Stan said, “God’s scheduled appointments are always a whole lot more important than mine. I just have to stop and listen to what He has for me to do.”
“As with the flagger fellow,” Stan concluded, “God brings people into my life and asks me, ‘Are you or are you not going to make a difference in their eternal destinations and their lives on this side of eternity?’”
“It’s up to me to be obedient to God’s appointments.”
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Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel. Philippians:12.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that you have divine appointments for me that are much more important than the appointments I make for myself. You know, and I know, how many times I fail to pay attention to the appointments you have for me. Please forgive all of those times when I have made what I want to do a priority over what you want. Please open me to see everything in my circumstances from the standpoint of how it affects what you want for your kingdom, rather than focusing on how the circumstances affect me and what I want to do. Thank you I can and do bring all of these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 