And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,“This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. – Isaiah 30:21
Hello, I’m so glad our paths have crossed. Is your visit here a coincidence? I think not. The devotional by Joni Eareckson Tada (entry below is from 2009) beautifully expresses my sentiments.
Is there such a thing as honest-to-goodness coincidences? Of course. Are they planned by God? Of course. Wait a minute. Can the two go together? Of course! Take the verse above. Some of those window-shoppers who just happened to be meandering through the marketplace that day Paul was preaching ended up becoming believers. Yet the coincidence of their leisurely stroll, examining cantaloupe and chatting with neighbors that day was no coincidence, for believers have been chosen, “before the creation of the world.” –Ephesians 1:4 The trick? No trick at all. With God, all things are possible. Even bonafide coincidences. God arranges for natural events to occur at specific times to further his ends. In other words, he plans coincidences. How or to what extent will be one fascinating feature of heaven! In the meantime…It’s no mistake that your car broke down and that kindly stranger helped you. It’s no accident that at lunchtime the same young man keeps coming by your office door hawking sandwiches. The people you meet, the neighbors you live near, the folks who sit in the pew in front of you are there by divine appointment. Why? So that you might fulfill God’s purpose: to make him real to all those around you. Have fun doing that today in every “coincidence.” Lord, to me it’s mind-bogglingly complicated, but, oh, so natural. Thank you for placing the people that you do in my life. Energize me to fulfill your purpose in each divine coincidence — help me to make you oh, so real to each and every person. Blessings, Joni and Friends Taken from Pearls of Great Price. Copyright © 2006 by Joni Eareckson Tada. Used by permission. Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
