This month the majority of ministry has been about divine appointments. Divine appointments are meetings with people we believe God appointed/scheduled for us. In the past, we have seen various types of appointments. Sometimes it has been someone who is clearly searching and wanting to know more about Christianity. Other times, it has been someone who just wanted a friend or was having a bad day and needed cheering up. I was certain that the Lord was planning to give me a divine appointment on this day. I could just feel it.
A divine appointment was exactly what he gave me. Except it looked nothing like I had expected. It’s funny how the Lord works at times.
A couple of days ago I left the house with the intention of doing what we have begun to call “hippie ministry” (I talked more about this in my previous blog). I began the mile long walk into town and started to pray and ask the Lord where he wanted me to go. He lead me to a cute café on a hill overlooking Pewa Lake. I went in, sat down and started to pray that God would bring me someone to talk to.
I sat there looking around anxiously. I was certain that the Lord was going to send me someone to spend my time with. I began my wait and continued to pray for whoever was coming my way. After some time, I realized literally no one was entering the cafe. “Was I wrong? Did the Lord not want me to meet with someone today?”, I thought to myself. It was then that I finally became silent to listen to what He had to say. That’s when I heard the Lord respond to me, “Ashley, you are sitting with me today”. I know I may sound a bit crazy, but it became so clear in that moment that my purpose for the day was simply to spend time with the Lord. He was my coffee date, my divine appointment.
Sometimes I find myself on the Race getting too caught up in doing ministry and telling others about God’s love that I forget to fill myself up and allow Him to show me His love. But He never forgets and that is exactly what he did for me a couple of days ago. I sat at that coffee shop for about four hours praying, journaling and just connecting with God. It was honestly one of the best days I have had on the race thus far.
I have been told multiple times these past few weeks that intimacy with the Lord is all that matters in life. That day in the coffee shop was the first time that the phrase truly resonated in my heart. It just hit me that sitting with the Lord is what he desires the most from me. Yes, he still loves when I am out telling people about Him, but he loves even more when I take the time to be simply in His presence.
The best part about all of this is that God doesn’t want a coffee date with just me. Grab your journal, pen and Bible, and go meet our Heavenly Father for coffee. I promise, He is already there waiting for you.
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”. Psalm 91:1-2
