Divine Appointments

You know...sometimes God just likes to let you know that He is amazingly detailed. We like to say that His timing is perfect, but sometimes we forget His precision.

Last night, I made an impromptu trip to WalM*rt. I got held up at the register because the stupid convenient self-check register kept saying I wasn't putting the item in the bag. I was mildly annoyed at the delay because I was in a hurry. However, as I was walking out of the store, a van was driving by and I suddenly noticed that the person in the driver's seat was waving wildly. I stopped and realized that it was a friend of mine who has been going through a very painful time lately. She really needed a shoulder to cry on last night, and God had me walk out of that store at the precise time she was driving by the entrance. Thirty seconds earlier or later and I would have missed her entirely. (In fact, my son was there at the same time and we never ran into each other.) My friend asked where I was parked so that she could pull her car nearby to continue our conversation, and wouldn't you know...there was one empty spot right next to my car for her. Every other spot around us was taken.

After ending our conversation, I traveled on to the grocery store. A few weeks ago, one of the cashier's had commented on the items I was buying and it came up that we were having a party for Ryan as he went in to the milit*ry. She said she had a friend in the service and prayed for him a lot--and then said, "I'll pray for your son." Ever since, I have been planning to return and give her a prayer card for Ryan. Last night, as I headed in, I thought, "Rats...she won't be here because it's night and she works the day shift. I hope I see her before we move." As I walked in, I was shocked to see her standing at the door. She was not at a register---she was a greeter! I have never seen her in that position--EVER. I walked up and reminded her of who I was and handed her the prayer card for Ryan. She later found me in the store and wanted his address, so she could write to him. That blessed me soooo much!

When I left, she was no longer at her post as greeter--and had been moved elsewhere in the store. God had put her where I needed to see her at the precise moment that I walked in. It was such a great reminder to me that God is NOT random. It sometimes seems like things happen without Him noticing, but He knows everything that is happening and there is purpose and meaning in it all. Just because we are often unaware of it, doesn't change the truth of who He is and what He is doing.