Now here’s a new word for you. No, it’s not some new high-tech coffee maker. It’s not a new Italian restaurant – but it sort of sounds Italian, doesn’t it? Italian, no. Greek, yes.
I’ve been thinking about my life – how I ended up where I am, doing what I’m doing, not doing what I thought I’d be doing at this point. And while a whole lot of questions still swirl around in my mind, I do know one thing. God knows what He’s doing. He had my whole life planned out before I was even that proverbial glimmer in my parent’s eyes.
So, back to protasso. It comes from Acts 17:26-27. “He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us”. (NIV)
That word “determined” is “protasso” in the original New Testament Greek. It means, “to define beforehand, to put in a certain order, to arrange, to assign a place”. God arranged the events and the places in my life a long time ago. Sure, I had choices along the way, but God knew all along where I’d end up. And He has me here, in this place, in this circumstance for a reason – so that I would seek Him, and find Him. He’s “findable” in every situation, whether it’s where I thought I’d be or not. He promises me that. And sometimes I just need to pull back from looking for all the answers to my questions, and look for Him instead. THAT is why He has me here, today, in this place, at this time.
Protasso. A very good word.
Anticipatience 
Oh, Praise the one who makes himself “findable” to us! What would we do without him?
I looked the verses up for myself and found that the NKJV uses the word “grope” instead of “reach out.” It made me think of being in a dark room and trying to find the light switch or the phone or the door. You can’t find it unless you stretch your arms way out. And then when you do find it, you feel relieved. Thanks for the encouraging reminder that when we reach out in the darkness of uncertainty, we find God!
Thanks for the “protasso” reminder. Even when life may appear to be chaotic, confusing, and unstable, it is comforting to know that it does not appear that way to God. It has all been perfectly ordered and arranged. It is our response to these situations that will either draw us closer to Him, or keep us from understanding His plan.