After the prescribed days had passed for the ceremonial purification for childbirth.(Lev 12:1-8) Mary and Joseph now venture with their new born baby, Jesus to the temple. (Luke 2:22-24) It was a day of celebration and anticipation as they come to dedicate this holy child to God. This was a day that can only be described as a “Divine appointment” involving multiple individuals that could only be orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father. All of which, had their own circumstances filled with hurts and struggles, yet there was an expectancy grounded in God’s faithfulness.

One begins to understand God’s enormous love and commitment, as you become aware and experienced His divine appointments in your life. They confirm His faithfulness and involvement in your journey with Him. It’s much like the father giving his daughter a kiss at the altar as he gives her to the new spouse. It isn’t a “kiss off” but a kiss of endearment and approval, as well as, an assurance that “I am still with you” along your way. That’s how I look at God’s divine appointments; they are His kiss from heaven assuring you of His approval and endearment as you walk with Him. Have you ever been a part of God’s orchestration of His plan? Let me share one of mine.

It isn’t a “kiss off” but a kiss of endearment and approval, as well as, an assurance that “I am still with you” along your way.

Not in a million years did I ever think I would have someone come wondering into my high country camp. I had taken time to pull back from the white noise of society and position myself to be able to focus on what God was saying to me for my life. Over the past forty or so years I have been coming to this region off and on as a place to reset and refocus. You could say it’s a time that keeps me yielded and dependent on God.

There I was huddling around my campfire high in the Rocky Mountains. The early snowstorm had kept me socked-in for a couple of days, dumping a thick blanket of snow in the region. It made the solitude of the backcountry even more remote. I hadn’t seen anyone else or any sign of a human being for a good solid week. Of course the snow always reveals who is lurking closer than you think, such as bears, cougar and wolves who had seemed to be a little more curious of this intruder then I wanted.             The blazing fire was now winding down to a few flames and the crackling of red coals in the darkness. It was now ten-thirty and time to crawl into my mummy bag under the tree. When out of the darkness, five feet behind me comes a voice, “how are you doing”? Wow! All I can say is I went from being calm, relaxed and talking to God, to jumping out of my skin, screaming at who ever was there. The seconds went by as if they were minutes, as I tried to rationalize what I just heard and now see, a young man standing in the middle of my camp, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere. Not thinking I would ever see anyone or hear anyone at all. A matter of fact in the last forty years I had never seen anyone up there, other than a handful across on a ridge or on another mountain with binoculars. Now in the midst of my camp stands a young man that has evidently been divinely directed whether he knew it or not.

You see I have learned to ask God daily to allow me to be apart of His agenda, using me in divinely orchestrated situations. This young man wasn’t just physically lost, but had lost his faith in God, and had also lost his earthly father to illness some time back. Miraculously, God had orchestrated this divine appointment at my camp. You see, I had also lost my father and had gone through times of questioning my faith. It was God’s set-up that brought much fruit that night. (John 15:1-17)      To be continued…