God’s Appointments for You - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 9

God’s Appointments for You
By Whitney Hopler

Bible Reading:
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” – Acts 17:26-27, NIV

I sometimes fantasize for fun about what it would be like to live in other times in history and places in the world. If I had access to a time and space travel machine, I would love to use it to visit all sorts of eras and locations. I would visit my grandfather Jim, who died before I was born, at one of the general stores he operated in the 1930s and 1940s here in Virginia. Then I’d travel over to California to visit some of the classic movie stars whose movies I’ve enjoyed. Dialing back farther in history, I’d travel to meet a variety of world leaders and inventors I admire. Of course, I’d also visit Jesus during his earthly life. Beyond the past, I’d also enjoy traveling to the future – maybe to meet each of my great grandchildren in the places where they’ll be living then. But there’s one important factor in all that: the ability to return to my own time and place. I’d cancel all my trips back into history or forward into the future if they wouldn’t be round trips back to my life here and now. That’s because I want to fulfill God’s purposes for my life as he planned it.

Acts 17:26-27 reveals that God has intentionally placed every one of us exactly where we are, at this specific time in history. He has good purposes for the times and places he appoints for each of us. 

God, in his unlimited wisdom and power, determined the exact time you would be born and the specific place where you would live. God has made divine appointments for your life!

Why? The passage says it’s because God wants you to seek him and find him when you reach out. Every situation you face, every person you encounter, and every opportunity that comes to you in your life here and now is part of God’s plan to draw you closer to him by helping you grow spiritually. God knows the spiritual environment of your time and place. He understands the unique temptations and opportunities that exist when and where he’s appointed you to live. God has also given you everything you need to shine a light in the darkness of our fallen world here and now. The people around you – your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and more – are also there by God’s design. God has placed you among them for reasons that relate to his good purposes for all of your souls together. Your unique experiences and perspectives are shaped by your “appointed time and boundaries”. That helps you connect with the people you know in ways that someone from a different era or place couldn’t connect.

Beyond giving you these specific appointments, God is present with you each day as you live them out. As this Bible passage says, God is not far from you. You can experience the wonder of God’s work in your life every day as you pay attention to it and let it inspire you with awe.

So, the next time you find yourself fantasizing about living in another time and place, take a break to pray. Ask God what he wants to accomplish through you right here and right now. Embrace the reality that you are exactly where you’re meant to be, at exactly the right time in history. God has appointed you to live your life in this time and place, and he wants you to make the most of this opportunity by reaching out, growing spiritually, and enjoying a closer relationship with him.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

As you consider God’s appointments for your life, reflect on these questions: 

• What are some of the unique aspects of this time in history and this place in the world where you currently live?
• How has God blessed you in ways that relate to living in this exact time and place?
• How do you think your specific circumstances may be helping you draw closer to God?
• How can you actively “seek him and reach out for him and find him” in your life today?
• What is one way you can embrace God’s appointments for your life and live out God’s purposes for you this week? 

Further Reading:
Jeremiah 29:11
Ephesians 2:10
Psalm 139:13-16
Romans 8:28
Philippians 1:6

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/GaudiLab 

Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on  X/Twitter.

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