Whenever things seemed to line up in people’s lives, no matter how peculiar they may be, a member of my congregation instantly saw the hand of God at work and would exclaim, “Coincidence? I think NOT!”
There are instances of this throughout the Bible, for example in 1 Samuel where Saul has already been anointed to rule over Israel and later when all Israel gathers to choose their king “by lot”, Saul is the one chosen—Coincidence? I think NOT!
Or when God called Moses to lead the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land, a man whose own Hebrew mother was hired to be his wet nurse, (who probably taught him the ways of the Hebrews), who grew up in the house of Pharoah, and who ran into the wilderness to save his life and survived—Coincidence? I think NOT!
Or when Ezra went back during the restoration period to help rebuild the temple after it had been destroyed, and put into play a lottery system so the Levites knew who was to serve in various capacities at the temple. Then, hundreds of years later Zachariah just “happens” to draw the lot to go into the temple where he is greeted by an angel telling him his wife Elizabeth will bear a son and they are to name the child, “John”—Coincidence? I think NOT!
In this season of Advent, the season of preparation, I have come to believe that no matter what it is you are facing, if you look back over your life you will realize God has prepared you for this very moment, and is there waiting to guide you if you are willing to trust—Coincidence? I think NOT!
Dr. Deborah Winters is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ who served twenty-four years as a settled pastor and now serves as a Transitional Specialist. She and her husband Gary founded God’s Precious Children, helping children in Liberia, West Africa, receive a better chance at a brighter future through an education in the name of Jesus. She is a Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaching Foundation and enjoys doing mud runs with her family!
