The Right Place At The Right Time

This morning I am reading from Acts 17:24-28 NIV:

[24] “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. [25] And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. [26] From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. [27] God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. [28] 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'"

The verse that has always stood out to me from this selection is verse 26.  My older version of the NIV translation reads a bit differently - "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."  I like that perspective, that the Lord has determined and set our times (When we live) and exact places where we should live.  Our lives are not random, and where we live is significant to the Lord.  He has placed us here and now with purpose, and if we will let Him, He will  guide our steps to make us the most effective during our lives.

Looking back at my life, I can see the Lord's hand all over my life, guiding and directing me, putting me in the right place at the right time.  I remember one such incidence from last summer.  I was flying from DC back to KC, and flying through Atlanta.  My flight was delayed and so I decided to get some ice-cream.  I made a quick stop by my gate and then started walking towards the Ice cream store.  As I was walking, a man walked across my path and I realized I recognized him.  He was an old friend from MN, who still lived in MN.  I couldn't believe that we just "happened" to run into each other in one of the busiest airports in the world.  As we quickly caught up, he said he was flying back from a job training for a new position He was taking in AL, and was unsure about whether that was the Lord's will.  In general, he was in a tough place having been laid-off for close to a year.  As we were talking, I had a sense the Lord wanted to bless him with a better job and even received a word of encouragement for him.  I asked him if we could pray and did right there and then.  As I prayed over him what I had heard, it was clear that the word of encouragement was exactly what he needed to hear at that moment.  I then was reminded of a specific scripture and quoted it to him and He just beamed, and told me that was the very scripture that he had been holding onto for the last year, quoting it to himself and his wife as verse to hold onto in the midst of their great struggle!  He and I both walked away from that experience greatly encouraged!  He ended up getting another job offer that was far better for him and his family, and I knew that the Lord had used me in a significant way.

As I reflect on that occurrence, I am convinced that I was directed by the Lord to be there at exactly that moment, in the B terminal in Atlanta to meet my old friend.  I might not have been cognizant of the Lord's directing hand, but there cannot be any coincidence in my meeting him and having the perfect word of encouragement.  It was because God love's my friend so much that he wanted him to know that He knew exactly where he was, and had a perfect plan for his life. God loves each of us this way, and we will encounter His love in amazing ways as we open ourselves up to seeing, hearing and understanding His ways.

More recently, we were blessed to be able to be a part of God's intimate touch in another friend's life.  The Lord had been setting up this little surprise for years, and neither of us knew that was the case, but at just the right time and place, we were able to bless this friend with something the Lord put in his heart back when He was a kid! This surprise from the Lord spoke deeply to our friend and was a concrete confirmation of the Lord's plans to move him into a new season. The Lord knows exactly what we need, and when we need it!  It is so awesome to see Him orchestrate our lives to bring blessing and encouragement in our lives and the lives of our friends and families.

So, this morning I am more encouraged by the intimate Love of God in my life.  He loves to bless and encourage each of us.  I am further convinced that my life and purpose and the place I am is part of God's beautiful plan and all orchestrated by Him.  He clearly has set my times and exact places where I live. He has me at the right place at the right time!

Amen!