Every day, God presents us with divine appointments that can mark a significant milestone in our spiritual journey and the journey of those we meet. What I recently learned is that these opportunities are easy to miss if we are not paying attention. Has that ever happened to you? This September, after attending the Gathering conference in Florida, I could have missed two divine appointments had I not made two key choices.
Choosing to Be Present
The conference had come to a close and a sense of excitement overwhelmed my spirit. It had been a magical week. The teaching,the music, the sharing, the giving, the laughter, the hope, the conviction, the prayers, and the inspiration that came by gathering with a group of warm- hearted, like-minded souls was infectious. The joy had woven deep into my spirit. I was elated. Now it was time to return to life as usual. I had a seven o’clock flight the next morning, so I went to bed early. The five o’clock wake up call came fast. I jumped out of bed, got ready, headed for the lobby, and grabbed a newspaper on the way out of the hotel.
Still rubbing the crust from my eyes, I caught a cab and faced a choice on my drive to the airport. Open your tablet and catch up with your emails, said the practical voice in my head. Be present, talk to the driver, and share Christ whispered a gentle voice in my spirit. But I may never see this person again, I argued in my head. Isn’t it amazing how fast we can switch gears from a heightened spiritual state to a pragmatic mindset?
The driver was full of smiles, a Haitian refugee named “Jack.” Finally choosing to put my tablet down, I learned that he had earned his keep by contributing to America’s progress for the last 20 years. He had built homes. Now he was driving cabs with a remarkable sense of pride for his work. I liked him immediately. We spoke around the word Christianity for half of the ride. Then the word Jesus entered the conversation. “Oh…you believe in Jesus,” he said. “Now you are speaking my language,” he said. “Tell me what Jesus has done in your life?” I asked.
“I would have to drive you from Florida to California to explain all of the wonderful things God has done in my life,” he replied. “I can’t even begin to scratch the surface.” After an inspiring conversation, I jumped out of the car and gave Jack a hug. “Please don’t forget me,” we’re his final words.
Choosing to Raise My Hand
As I said goodbye to Jack, I considered ditching my flight and hiring him to drive me from Florida to California. I truly wanted to hear the rest of his testimony. I’m glad I didn’t. My next divine appointment was awaiting at the airport.
Have you ever felt like once you check your Good Samaritan box for the day, you can finally get back to your business at hand? That was me. I had given Jack half an hour of my time. Now I was ready to go into flight mode. Put on the headphones and fade away into into my emails, my newspaper and my time. As I approached the ticket counter, a young man was standing to my left. He was wearing a cut off tank top, a sideways hat with the words “Mob,” and a stuffed animal strapped around his back.
I was about ready to swipe my card at the self-check kiosk for my extra bags when I heard the young man explain to the clerk why he was short five dollars for his bag. He had just checked out of a treatment center and only had $20 to his name. “Could you give me some grace?” He asked the clerk. “We’re are not a charity” the clerk responded. “Excuse me,” I said as I raised my hand to get the clerk’s attention. I could not believe his rudeness and lack of sympathy. “I would like to pay for his bag along with mine.”
.
The clerk’s forehead scrunched up as he shook his head. I could read the disbelief and annoyance written all over his face. “You should give this nice man the twenty dollars since he’s putting your luggage on his credit card,” he said to the young man with contempt. “That won’t be necessary,” I said. “Consider it a gift.”
“Thank you! My name is Jose,” said the young man, extending his hand to shake mine. As we walked towards the security checkpoint, I learned that he was heading to Los Angeles.
“Tell me about your recovery,” I asked.
He confided in me that it had been a twelve-year journey, battling addiction, drug use and a bi-polar disorder. He had been sober for 45 days, the first time since he was 18 years old. I empathized. I know what it is like overcoming similar strongholds personally, through my journey with the Lord, and supporting family who have also struggled in these areas.
I felt moved to share my testimony and what God has done in my life. I could see Jose’s face brighten up. He seemed encouraged. When we arrived at the security checkpoint we both pulled out our boarding passes.
“What gate are you flying out of?” I asked. “Gate D3.” I looked at my boarding pass.
“Wow, that’s the same gate as me.”
“Are you connecting through Dallas?” I asked.
“Yes, looks like we’re on the same flight” I said.
“Where are you sitting?” “25B” he replied.
Of course he was. I was assigned the next seat, 25A!
At this point I know the Lord has orchestrated my second divine appointment, one I could have missed had I been hidden behind my headphones and too preoccupied getting back to my agenda. We both shared a look of amazement and tried to play it cool through security. As we headed to the terminal, I asked Jose if he had a personal relationship with God and what he knew about Jesus. I learned that his mother was Protestant and that his father was Catholic. He confessed he didn’t did not have a personal relationship with Christ. He had never accepted Jesus as his Savior.
We sat together at the gate waiting for the our boarding call. We shared what the Lord had done in both of our lives and how His faithfulness had rescued us from the path that was leading to death and self-destruction. Right then and there I asked Jose if I could pray for him before the flight took off. He agreed. I reached over took his hand and began praying for healing over his body and deliverance from addiction. I prayed against any temptation that would lead him back down the wrong path.
Jose’s Salvation
In the middle of the prayer I asked Jose if he desired to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. “Yes,” he said with a look of freedom in his eyes. He followed my lead and echoed a salvation prayer and accepted Jesus in concourse D of the Fort Myers, Florida airport. A calm spirit came over me, and I sensed that he felt it as well, as the prayer concluded and a smile formed on both of our faces. The jitters in his hands and legs I had been noticed earlier slowly faded away. He rested his head back on the seat for the next half hour.
Once we boarded the plane I introduced Jose to a friend from the conference, and we celebrated together Jose’s homecoming into the Kingdom. I could hardly believe it. Jose was a new man from the one I had met an hour earlier. I switched seats with him, so he could have the window seat and rest his racing mind. He rested for most of the flight. I continued to pray for healing over his mind, body and soul. Standing in the gap for Jose, praying over him for the next two hours, and literally sitting in his seat on the airplane, was a gift and a privilege God gave.
After we landed in Dallas we gave each other a hug and took a photo to document the moment and before we parted ways. Although I gave Jose my contact information, I don’t know if I will ever see him again.
I hope and pray that one day I will see what the Lord has done in his life. Either way I know where Jose is headed after his days on earth. He has an eternal destination.
When God’s Call Meets Our Heart’s Desires
The weeks proceeding both of my divine appointments—first with Jack and then with Jose— I had been praying that the Lord would provide me an opportunity to be “in the trenches” with others and also to see the fruits of my labor. Most of my Kingdom efforts this past year had been behind the scenes, helping a ministry that focuses on Kingdom Technology. My field work was limited and I had been feeling overwhelmed with administrative duties and was getting rusty with my daily evangelism efforts as of late.
Sometimes, “holy discontent” is God’s way of saying, “I’m ready to bring one of my children home . . . and I need you to show up and raise your hand.” I am reminded of the words in Isaiah 6:8: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I, send me!”
The Lord was faithful answering my prayer and refreshing my spirit by using me to show Jose the way to his Father. As a servant, I am beginning to see more and more the daily opportunities I have to openly share the Gospel, the greatest gift ever given. But first I must obey his call to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). I could have missed my opportunity to hear Jack’s testimony. I could have missed the opportunity to lead Jose to salvation.
Life transforming opportunities go unnoticed all the time—when we are too busy or too self-absorbed—doing good work—that we miss the people God is placing on our path. I am forced to makes me rethink my “giving” strategy and how I measure my return on investments into the Kingdom.
The bottom line is simply this: The greatest return on investment in this world is a human soul returning to Jesus Christ. I will never forget Jose or Jack and that fateful morning when I chose to be present and to raise my hand to do God’s work. Praise the Lord.
Andrew Arroyo is the founder of Eye of a Needle Foundation. He lives in La Jolla, CA with his wife Megan and daughter Emma.
