WHO IS IN MY ORBIT?

Don’t you answer the phone when it rings?

Don’t you go to the door and open it when someone knocks?

You wouldn’t simply ignore a friend or a stranger when he asks you a question.

I have come to believe that when anyone comes into my orbit on a given day, God has sent him or her. What do I mean by my “orbit”? A secondary meaning, beside the primary one concerning circulating planets, is “the usual course of a person’s life or range of activities.” It relates to “circum-” whatever becomes a part of my circumstances or circulates around me; a happening that has something to do with me. It may be a person, an impression, or a reminder of someone that enters my circle of thought.

If it is person who enters my orbit today in some manner, I take it that God intends for me to pray for him immediately, even simply lifting my heart to God, and asking whether or not He has something for me to say to encourage or help him. (I must be sensitive; sometimes God impresses me that prayer is enough.)

On the other hand, perhaps a person may have come into my life to bring a word from God to me to encourage me, correct me, challenge me, or inspire or guide me. I try to be open and welcome that word through the one He has sent.

So I ask our Heavenly Father every single morning to intimately schedule my day for me, to bring into my life that day everything and only, whatever and whomever He wills. I should not consider anything, therefore, as an interruption to fret about or resist changes to my well-laid plans. Such disruptions are not accidental or are any events that happen incidental. They are my opportunities and God's appointments ordained for my good and for His glory.

I pray for God to filter out time-wasters and those who will sap my energy through trivial talk or petty matters. For this I need discernment. We must be careful to “be about our Father’s business” as Jesus stated it.

Lord, keep my eyes and heart open, and my ears tuned so I can fulfill Jesus’ words, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Today and every day is a fresh day to love God and walk with Him and serve Him in our specific orbit. His surprises and serendipities may be waiting right around the corner with your next e-mail, phone call, or knock on the door.

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