I remember a friend once saying to me, “it’s funny how every time I pray for an opportunity to speak for Jesus, one comes along”. The truth is that God has many opportunities for His people, but often He is waiting for us to make ourselves available to be His mouth and hands.
It is genuinely exciting to think that God would have divine appointments for us as we go about our daily lives surrendered to Him and intentionally being open to His leading. The story in Mark chapter 4 into chapter 5 contains one amazing divine appointment set up by Jesus, opposed by a storm, but resulted in the Lord setting a man set free.
In Mark 4:35 it says On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” Jesus had been teaching a very large crowd of people in Mark chapter 4 but when the evening came, without giving His disciples a reason He said “Let us go across to the other side.” Why would Jesus get up and go from here? We know that our Lord does not do things by chance.
As it turned out a storm awaited the boat crossing and not any old storm, but one which caused the disciples great fear. Verse 37 says a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. Meanwhile, Jesus seemingly oblivious to the storm had drifted off to sleep on a pillow in the stern. The disciples woke Him and in a panic v 38 “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
Miraculously, Jesus having been rudely awakened, speaks to the storm, v 39 “Peace, be still”. The elements knew the voice of their master and immediately the wind stopped and the waves disappeared. Absolutely incredible! What would it have been like to be present in that moment?! Jesus proceeded to give them a lesson in faith. You see what Jesus says always comes to pass, always. He had said “Let us go across to the other side.” So what that meant was, no matter what was about to happen, they were getting to the other side; no storm, devil, person, or unexpected situation was going to stop that! What He says can be trusted as He speaks truth. He will always be able to carry out what He says because He has all power to do so.
But I believe there was a bigger picture to this, a divine appointment was in the making. The storm could have been sent to try them and put them off, but Jesus had said “Let us go across to the other side”, for a reason. In chapter 5, we read, verse 2, And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. There it is, the divine appointment, a demon-possessed man was then set free by the power of Jesus. Had Jesus heard his cry from the other side of the lake, and that’s why He wanted to cross to meet this man? Either way, this man encountered the power and salvation of Christ.
I wonder, what divine appointments God has set up for you today as you make yourself available to Him.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to walk with You today. I acknowledge that You are all-powerful and what You speak is truth and always comes to pass. Lord, help me to continue to believe what You have spoken in Your word and over my life when times get tough and I am tempted to doubt. Lord, I also pray that You would guide me today to people, places and situations where You are at work. Help me be aware of Your leading, and I ask that You would use me in divine appointments set up by You. Use me for Your glory. Amen