Over the Thanksgiving holidays, my mother-in-law came for a visit. She flew from Massachusetts to Michigan.
Flying these days is not for the faint of heart, especially when you get stuck with a change of planes at O’Hare. I think half of my gray hairs are a direct result of mad dashes through O’Hare to catch connecting flights.
But I digress . . .
So, my mother-in-law VERY rarely flies. In fact, she hadn’t visited us in about five years. Needless to say, I was praying extra hard that she’d have smooth traveling, especially because she had one of those you-never-know-what-might-happen connecting flights at O’Hare. The last thing I wanted was for her run into disaster and then decide not to fly for another five years.
The day before her departure, I had my women’s Bible study group pray for her. And then the entire day that she was traveling, I was constantly lifting her up in prayer.
When my phone rang halfway through the day and her name showed on the caller ID, of course I immediately had visions of her lost in the enormous and chaotic airport unable to find the gate for her connecting flight.
When I heard her voice and realized she wasn’t in hysterics, that she was even joyful, I breathed a huge sigh. We only talked long enough for her to tell me she’d made it to her gate and to say, “God gave me a divine appointment today.”
When she’d finally safely landed here at our little airport in central Michigan several hours later, she was beaming. Yes, she was exhausted since she’d had to leave her house at 3:30 am to catch a bus. But her face was lit with the thrill of all that God had done.
During the bus ride to the Boston airport, a woman had gotten on the bus and just happened to sit next to my mother-in-law. Little did my mother-in-law know at the time, but this woman was taking the same flight out of Boston.
As the harried day unfolded, this God-sent helper guided my mother-in-law through every step of her journey, through check-in, security, and to her terminal. Then when they landed in Chicago, the stranger led her along the winding maze of crowded hallways at O’Hare directly to her next flight.
I couldn’t have asked for a more direct answer to prayer than if I’d written out the instructions for God.
It sure looked like God had divinely appointed someone to meet my mother-in-law’s needs. So why did she say, “God gave me a divine appointment today” as if she’d been the one doing the helping?
Yes, no doubt about it, the stranger blessed my mother-in-law. But more than that, my mother-in-law saw the meeting as a divine appointment for her to bless this woman in an even greater way.
During one of the periods of waiting for their flight, my mother-in-law took out her Bible and began to read it. As she did, she turned to her helper and asked if she’d ever read the Bible. The woman said she was raised Catholic but hadn’t read the Bible in a long time.
So my mother-in-law proceeded to talk to the woman about her Bible and how easy it was to read. The woman, now curious, willingly took the Bible and began to read it for herself. She was very excited about how easy it was to read, so of course, my mother-in-law insisted that she keep the Bible.
By the time they parted ways, the woman was on the phone with her family exclaiming about her experience reading the Bible in a way she never had before.
Divine appointment?
Yes, indeed.
We lift our requests to God.
And he answers them so unexpectedly. So divinely.
During this month, when the Divine One came to earth, I pray that we will ask for and seek divine appointments in our lives.
Divine appointments can come in any shape and form, often in the way we least expect. After all who would have expected the Divine to take the form of a baby in a manger?
Divine appointments. All God asks is that we be willing and watchful.
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
How about YOU? When have you seen God clearly answer a prayer?
Jody Hedlund
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Wow what a wonderful experience for both Mother in law and the new friend.
One that comes to mind is 6 and a half years ago I was evicted (due to no fault of my own but a landlord who really wanted to sell the house but didn’t have the nerve to say it up front to start.). Anyway being I was without work as at the time mum had just gone into full care after breaking her leg and I had been her carer getting a rental through the normal channels in a very competitive market would have been almost no chance. A friend who I clean for had lost her father about 6 or so months prior and we were talking. They needed to store some of his stuff in the house and garage but I would be able to have a lounge room and bedroom (once it was fixed) Would eventually get the second bedroom/dinning room if they could keep his stuff in the third bedroom and some of the antique furniture in the other rooms. I was a God send for us both as they knew I would look after the place and it was a safe place for me. I am still here and love it. Without them I could have been homeless.
What a great testimony, Jody! And I loved the “punchline” about how that “help” went both ways. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story in eternity! And I bet your mother-in-law can’t wait to get on a plane again! 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Jody! God is good!
I subscribe to your blog, and today, yours popped up first. What a blessed way to start my day! It was such a sweet reminder of God’s intervention into our lives! Your mother’s appointment is still blessing others. And yes, I’ve had those appointments, but all too often, we get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent and miss them. Keeping my eyes open!
What an uplifting story, Jody. Thanks so much for sharing it.
What an amazing opportunity! Divine appointment indeed! Thank you for sharing this with us.
I have goose bumps from reading that story, Jody. God is so good! It never ceases to amaze me how he works through the lives of people when they may or may not even realize it. What a perfect reminder for me to be on the lookout for ways to be a divine appointment for someone else. I tend to stick my head down and focus on my own needs far too often. Both your mother-in-law and her travel companion were used by God to bless the other. I want to be open to those opportunities as well. Thanks for the reminder, Jody!
Oh i have chills! I love when God does things like that 🙂
What a wonderful example of God answering prayers! Lovely!
That story is such an inspiration. Wondering what Bible your mother-in-law had? Would like to find one like it to read.
I got goosebumps…I know that I specifically prayed that your mom would have people by her during her trip that would be helpful to her! And the fact that she extended that blessing to her travel “companion” is so wonderful!
What a wonderful testimony of God’s provision for both women!
When my Mom was alive, she was hospitalized several times with a heart condition. It seemed every time we went to the ER or checked into the hospital there would be someone that needed prayer. Sometimes during a conversation with them they would ask for prayer and sometimes we would see a need and silently agree in prayer. After a while my Mom would just call & say she needed to go to the ER and wouldn’t be anxious about her pain or anything. We’d just talk on the way about who might need our prayers this time. It’s one of my last, best memories of my Mom. I still carry on the tradition and look on it all as divine appointments or maybe even divine opportunities.
Wow that is an amazing story, thank you for sharing. Hope your family will enjoy visiting and wishing you all a Merry Christmas.
Jody, this story was truly a blessing to read. Two women in very different situations found one another at the perfect time and in the perfect setting. God directs every detail of our lives. I know He lives!
God’s amazing grace and “divine appointments” are chill-bearers, aren’t they? When my mother passed away in 2001, I had many boxes of paper and photos to go through. Several letters caught my attention as I didn’t recognize the return addresses or names on the envelopes. As I read the notes and letters, I came to realize these were people Mama had met on trips from TN to OR to visit us, or on church trips. Good friends made because God was there to plant the seed and then friendships continued long distance for years. Brought tears to my eyes and still does. Thanks for an amazing, love-filled post.
Thank you for encouraging all of us by this account. God is so good! I love thinking about His coming to earth as a Divine Appointment. It is my prayer that many will accept a Divine Appointment to allow Him entrance into their hearts.