As corporate chaplains, we learned many years ago that the Lord fills our days with “Divine Appointments.” I define a divine appointment like this: It’s when our humanity intersects with God’s divinity at the exact perfect moment. Some people might call this event a coincidence, but we do not believe in coincidences around our company, we have learned that many times, God sets the table for more than we’re aware of, or planned on. Below is a prime example of one of those divine appointments that fill our days. Enjoy the divine appointment below, and feel free to share one back with us in your comments.
[The following was written by a Metro Denver Hospice physician]
I was driving home from a meeting one evening, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., when my car started to
choke and sputter before it died. I barely managed to coast into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn’t even turn over. Before I could make the call for the tow truck, I saw a woman walking out of the quick mart. She appeared to slip on some ice and fell to the ground next to the gas pump. I got out to see if she was alright. When I got there it looked more like she was overcome by sobs. She was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up. It was
a nickel. At that moment everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with three kids in the back, one in a car seat, and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help. She kept crying and said, “I don’t want my kids to see me crying.” so we stood on the other side of the pump from the car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her at the time. I asked, “And you were praying?” That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, “He heard you and He sent me.” I took out my credit card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her tank, walked next door to McDonalds and bought two sacks of food, some gift certificates for more and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids who attacked it like a pack of wolves and we stood by the car eating and talking a little. She told me her name. She lived in Kansas City where her boyfriend had left her two months before. Since then she had not been able to make ends meet. She had finally called her parents in California for help. They had encouraged her to move out there and try to get on her feet. So she packed up and took off for California. I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her. As I was walking away, she asked, “So are you like and angel or something?” This definitely made me cry and I replied, “Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.” It was so incredible to be a part of someone else’s miracle. And of course, when I got in my car it started right up! I’ll put it in the shop tomorrow but I’m pretty sure they won’t find anything wrong with it. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee.” Psalm 55:22