Divine Appointments

“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”

Acts 8:35

Imagine being in a conversation with someone that you have never met before but as soon as you began speaking you realized that you were experiencing what is often referred to as a, “Divine Appointment” that God had determined before the heavens and earth were formed. We hear expressions, “Won by One”, “He left the 99 for the 1”, “if you were the only person who ever lived Jesus would have died for you.” We all enjoy reading the biblical account of the woman at the well who Jesus went miles out of His way so that He could offer her salvation. Every time we run across a story like this in the Bible we are reminded all over again that God cares about us as individuals.

Take the story in Acts 8:26-35. Philip was serving as a pastor in Samaria when an angel came to him and told him that he needed to prepare himself for a long journey. Philip was to take the road “less traveled” from Jerusalem to Gaza. In essence God was leading Philip to the middle on nowhere. Philip didn’t question the assignment and immediately began his quest.  

Once on the road Philip discovers his “divine appointment” with the Ethiopian eunuch, most likely a government official and a God-fearer who was returning from Jerusalem where he had gone to worship the Lord. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading a Greek translation of the book of Isaiah. Being led of the Holy Spirit to come near the chariot, meaning Philip is running along side the chariot, the Ethiopian eunuch was seated reading aloud the prophecy regarding the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53. Philip, who just “happened” to speak Greek enters into a dialog with the Ethiopian while running along side. Philip asked if the Ethiopian understood what he was reading and he humbly replied he did not and invited Philip to sit beside him and explain it. This is just one more case of a “divine appointment.”

As the Ethiopian read from Isaiah 53 he didn’t understand how a man could fulfill the function of an animal sacrifice. The Ethiopian wants Philip to answer him, “of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” Philip being Jewish understood the prophecy of Isaiah and as a follower of Christ he knew Isaiah’s fulfillment is found only in Jesus. Philip understood, in the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed and in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed.” The Ethiopian wanted to hear the Good News and God placed Philip on that road at just the perfect moment in human history so that he could hear about the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.


Every time a person opens their heart to Jesus it is due to a “Divine Moment”. It was no accident that Jesus died on Calvary’s Cross. He did it for you, He did it for me! It’s never an accident nor is it a coincidence any time you and I have the opportunity to come along side those with whom the Lord has prepared their hearts to hear the Good News of the Gospel. If you were to ask Philip he most likely would have thought his life and ministry were best suited to be used of God to reach the cities of the Samaritans and yet in God’s sovereign plan God determined to send Philip to just one man! If you want to be used like Philip, the key is to be in the Word and to have the Word in you and to always be ready and open to the Spirit’s leading of your own, “Divine Appointments” that God schedules for you!


“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear”

1 Peter 3:15  


I LOVE YOU!


Michael Osthimer

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