Byron Day
By Byron Day, BCM/D President and Pastor of Emmanuel Church, Laurel, Md.
I am often amazed at the fact that God has included me in His marvelous plan of redemption. I do not speak of my own salvation though that is wonderful, but that He permits me to play a role in His salvation of others. The apostle Paul states that we are ambassadors of Christ and we have been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5: 18-20).
The privilege of being the vessel that God chooses to use to share the gospel with someone and observe the Holy Spirit bring them to the point of receiving Christ still amazes me. I do not know how many people with whom I have shared the love of God and His saving grace through Jesus Christ over the 32 years that I have known Him. Nor do I remember how many people with whom I have had the joy of personally seeing accept Jesus as Savior, but I continue to be astounded at how God orchestrates my life to be at the right place at the right time, in the right state of mind (i.e., sensitive to the Spirit’s leading).
Acts 8:26-40 records the account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. I love this passage for a number of reasons, one of which is the divine appointment, which God had set for both Philip and the eunuch. God arranges an evangelism crusade for one (Philip preached Jesus to him) that allows for each man’s personality, personal plans and cultural uniqueness, and yet causes their paths to cross at the appointed time to fulfill His great purpose and plan.
Recently, I had the opportunity once again to have one of those divine appointment moments. Every year since I became a full time pastor in 1997 I have attended the Southern Baptist Convention (except the year my son graduated from middle school). This year the convention was later in the month than usual and conflicted with our Vacation Bible School. For some this may not be a big deal, but for our church it is one of the highlights of the year. I considered not attending the convention since I did not want to miss our VBS. However, I had some pre-convention responsibilities and decided to go and come back early even though I would miss most of the convention.
On the day of my return after getting through airport security I had a little extra time and decided that I would get my shoes shined. As I headed down the concourse, I spied a shoe shine stand and noticed that the young man was about to leave his stand but somehow made eye contact with me and he could tell that I wanted to get a shine. As I sat there getting my shoes shined, I pondered how I might get to share the gospel with him. He struck up a conversation and eventually I was able to gear the conversation to church and spiritual things. He finished my shoes and I asked him if he would like to know more about how he could have a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus, and he said yes. We sat down at a nearby table and I was able to share Christ with him. He prayed to receive Christ as his Savior right there in the Louisville airport.
I was in awe of God who had a plan of which I was unaware that considered my short stay and early return.
Remember God has divine appointments for us all.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10).