DESTINY

In describing God's magnificent plan and design for the universe, the world and everything in it, the most difficult matter for the mind to comprehend, and us to explain...those who have had a diet of nonsense via television, the fact that God had designed everything ahead of time. You see, when you and I stand and watch a parade, we only know what has passed in front of us. God knows what is yet to come.

When God starts something He always knows the ending. The sophisticates of this world, academic elitist, scientists, those who think they are so smart, do not understand that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). To those who are not winners of “life's lottery”, no hierarchy ancestry, do not have “blue blood” in your veins, whose appearance anywhere has never caused any excitement...no outstanding talent – looks – IQ, God's promises are just as much yours as anyone's. Yours is a matter of courage, God gives us that courage.

It was so obvious to me and I should have expected it because I had known “self-appointed”, “the big I's and little U's” of this world previously at the school houses, state houses and even church houses of this world. The politician possesses that “suckling” personality until he gets your vote. The old families in the church will let you know real quick who has always run things. Young lawyers will quiver and quake at the very sound of the names from old firms. The world is full of people who think that God has given a special “dispensation” (divine order) of destiny to them. It was never so obvious as when I returned from the military to the county in which I had grown up, where my family had lived for many generations. Although I was totally blind in one eye, service connected, disabled veteran, I still felt that I had some good years for my health care practice.

One of the first things, finding office space. I went to the Wachovia, now Wells Fargo, bank and inquired about space available in a facility. Now remember, I was a field grade medical officer, 8 year graduate of two universities, had endured every investigation. I will never forget the sour, puny banker by the name of Lloyd Fonville, who said to his assistant, “Have you investigated this man?”. I said, “Sir, I have the money to pay the rent, make any improvements for my equipment. I can give you a long list of citizens, in this county, who know me, my family. The Chief of Detectives here is my mother's cousin and uncle a nearby county Sheriff, another uncle Secret Service with the President. I have no motives except to serve your city as I have served your country.” The fact that I was a decorated officer did not seem to impress him at all. He was a big “I” and I was a little “me”.

I had already been selected as NC's JC, Young Man of the Year, a deacon in the First Baptist Church, active in many clubs except the NAACP. It was the same, almost identical attitude, when I applied for my first loan to buy a house. Since his family are still alive and decent people I will not describe the attitude of the President of the local building and loan. Very much the same words (had I been investigated). This seems to be the rule rather than the exception for people who for some reason get big jobs. Never, I repeat, never, let small people dampen your attitude for courage and success. You are the child of a King, joint-heir with the Creator of the universe. You have a DESTINY which the average mind cannot comprehend.

Members of the human race, members of your own family, people you have known your entire life, want you to be a PEDDLER OF GUILT. I have yet to meet a perfect person. We all carry around baggage of past actions. When God forgives, He forgets. ( And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 10:17). God has reminded me many times that He has forgiven my sins but does not let me forget because if I forget my rotten sin I will forget many other things that I should remember. One thing you can be sure of, you can write it in stone, those who should support you, your courage, your attitude towards successful living, will never let you forget your past mistakes. Be thankful that God forgives our trespasses both known and unknown.

No matter what your transgressions, always remember Saul of Tarsus who, on that 150-mile road from Jerusalem to Damascus, became the Apostle Paul, writer of most of the New Testament. It would be difficult to find one hump of dirt on earth where one of his epistles is not read every day. He did not fall in love with jails, beatings, ship wrecks, even on Malta there was probably not another snake within 100 miles, one bit him. Thrown into a cistern – prison 19' below the ground, he wrote, inspired by God, the scripture of the church. At one time, a band sworn not to eat or drink until they had killed him (But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee. Acts 23:21).

Perhaps this great Christian did not accomplish everything of his destiny but he wrote to Timothy “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7). 90% of faith is just raw courage. Do we have the courage to pursue our destiny?