Tag: Coincidence

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No coincidence, only providence.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This must be one of the Hebrew children,” she said.” Exodus‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses records his own origin story. It is remembered and written in such a gentle, peaceful style. However, living in those moments were not peaceful, nor gentle. The situation was dire and filled with fear of an unknown future. We read this as history, but honestly it’s telling of a fact: Nothing is coincidental! We have to shift our thinking to the truth – EVERYTHING is providential. Everything, you ask? Yes, everything. Our limited scope of time and understanding of eternity makes this difficult. Plus, our distrust and awful stereotypes of God put us at a huge disadvantage of seeing God as GOOD. God is always right, true and good. We tend to review every crisis, death, loss or disaster as either random or predetermined. God’s foreknowledge and sovereignty does not equal predetermination of evil that is perpetrated on humanity. God did not create humans to delight in destroying them! His delight is in loving us and being intimately involved in our lives.

Moses birth story and his entire life story is an amazing story of providential miracles to tell US the bigger story of God from Genesis to Revelation. The Pharaoh, over the largest superpower civilization of its day, made a self-determined decision that the Jewish people were a threat. The same people that God used Joseph’s own difficult path to save the Jews and SAVE Egypt. This Pharaoh, not the Joseph Pharaoh, FEARED the hardworking, humble, grateful Jewish people would rise up and take over his kingdom. God, of course had completely different plans for his people, and it wasn’t to take over and occupy Egypt. God had another spot on the earth for the Jewish people to call their own.

Pharaoh, using genocide as a population deterrent, ordered the killing of all Jewish baby boys. From early on, we can see Satan’s plan to stop God’s plan of redeeming humans by starting with the elimination of God’s people, God’s plan and God’s promises. God made promises to His people and to the entire planet. Satan’s plans always include trying to make God out to be a liar and a promise breaker! It never worked and it never will. God is truth, His promises are guaranteed. If even one of them is not fulfilled, God would not be God.

Pharaoh’s decree was followed and an unknown amount of baby boys were put to death. We see this evil, genocidal plan repeated all throughout human history! But God saw Moses and what Moses would become before time ever began! From the moment Moses’ mother, Jochebed, had the brilliant idea of putting her baby boy in his own boat and float him down the river, (technically “throwing the hebrew boy” into the river, as Pharaoh had commanded) to the delightfully providential surprise that one of Pharaoh’s own daughters would find him. It’s all in God’s hands, His will was directing the entirety of Moses’s story.

Wow! Following even a fraction of Moses’ life story is amazing! The miracles, the drama, the detail – I love it. It makes me think of my own life, from beginning until now. To just realize that none of it was coincidental, none of it an accident or a mistake – is pretty overwhelming! But for me to take all that I know about God and all that I know about my own history and realize that God is not just deeply involved, He’s fully in control. And, to think about that same God inviting me to be a part of His grand story is humbling and encouraging. Our lives are a small part of what God is doing to bring about his will on earth as it is in heaven! To allow our sin, sorrow, brokenness and redemption to serve His BIG plan is so cool. It’s more than cool – it’s providential.

Prayer

Dad,
First of all, bravo on the amazing ways you have kept and recorded your story in oral, then written form that has survived and flourished for thousands of years! Your Word has endured, just as you promised that it would. I am thankful that you have always been in control, and always be in control over ALL things – including my own life. I am grateful to be a part of Your story and that my own story might be useful to You and anyone else.

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What the providence?

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Gideon crept up just as a man was telling his companion about a dream. The man said, “I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat!” His companion answered, “Your dream can mean only one thing—God has given Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies!” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Coincidence or providence, your choice or God’s? Anyone who reads this part of a much larger story should be scratching their head. I love the stories in the book of Judges, likely written by Samuel. There are these grand, overarching stories like Gideon’s journey.

Gideon was called by God under supernatural means. Israel cried out for help, a spokesperson for God tells them to remember God had rescued them before and to quit worshiping IDOLS (the gods of the Amorites,” He also reminded them, “you have not listened to me.”

At the same time and in the next sentence, there is an “angel of the Lord,” lounging by a big, well known tree, “the great tree at Ophrah.” It is here that we find a theophany moment, where Jesus appears as an angel in the Old Testament.

Jesus calls Gideon a “mighty warrior,” Gideon takes a while to finally come around to believing it. Here in this moment with Gideon, we have some strange happenings that all look very coincidental – like positive accidents waiting to happen.

With only 300 men, God wakes up Gideon and tells him to get on with attacking the Midianites. Then, just to help the guy, says, “if you’re afraid…” what an understatement! God suggests that Gideon, “grab a friend and go down and spy on the Midianites camp.” Gideon, liking that idea goes on over to the enemies camp sometime before midnight. Gideon “happens” to arrive at the edge of the encampment “just as a man” is talking about a dream he had.

Have you ever noticed how wildly accurate the TIMING of God is? So many things, so many moving parts leading up to this very moment of the story – it is astronomically astounding how God does this. It seems that God can see our actual timeline going backwards! When in truth God is outside of time itself, so in his omnipotence, ALL time happens NOW! The entire scope of world history and future events are all in the present for Him. The visit with Gideon, battle with Midianites, the sudden return of Jesus and end of the apocalypse has already happened with God! To us or to Gideon it may feel very much like coincidence, but it is clearly not accidental!

Gideon overhears the dreamer’s account and application. Along with Purah’s confidence, “this dream can only mean one thing…” it was just enough to motivate him to action. Maybe Gideon’s crazy clay-pot plan was his own wacky idea, maybe not – we’ll never know. But 300 men with ram horns and clay-pot lamps against thousands of warriors it really sounds ridiculous. It’s such an amazing story of God’s ability to lead and guide us to bring about His plans. It’s also lesson for us about the tiny little faith of a once fearful farmer who came from nothing and became a fierce warrior for God. Am I, are you, a fearful farmer or a fierce warrior? We’ll never know until we do or don’t do, believe or don’t believe what God says.

Prayer

Dad,
Honestly, I’ve never been able to figure this all out. What feels like coincidence turns out to be providence! Yet, on the front of that decision is always fear and faith, doubt and discernment. If only I could be assured ahead of time, but that’s not going to happen is it? It wouldn’t be pleasing to you if I knew for sure. It wouldn’t be faith if it was for certain. I can always trust that even if I miss it or make a wrong decision, you’ve got me and will work everything out.

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Waiting for the Messiah club

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,”
Luke 2:25-28 NLT

Talk about timing! Simeon was OLD and had waited, and waited, and waited some more. We don’t know when he had this “revealing,” but I’m guessing it had been awhile.

Maybe the Holy Spirit nudged him when he was younger? Maybe as he went about life with family, or no family, singled or widowed. Maybe he told some others of his inklings from God. Then again, maybe he kept them to himself, like Mary did when she pondered all the mysteries happening in her life. I did a sermon years ago called, “waiting for the Messiah club.” There were thousands, maybe millions who were waiting for the Messiah, but a couple of them had this extraordinary experience of meeting him as a baby – Simeon and Anna. Anna was probably over a 100 years old and widowed for 84 of those years!

I like what Luke says in verse 27, “That day the Spirit led him to the Temple.” THAT DAY. Coincidence? No way. Providence? Absolutely. I had a friend call me to ask a very specific question. A serious, but sad question. “If the Holy Spirit prompts you to talk to a friend about their salvation and you don’t respond to God and do it. What happens if that person dies and possibly goes to hell. Is that our fault? Now, don’t get all worked up crazy over the question. It was real to them. They felt very responsible, very guilty. Because their friend did die and they didn’t know if that person had made a decision to believe in Christ’s provision and intention that no human would choose to go to hell. Folks think that we live a life, wander around a bit and then just accidentally find ourselves in hell all confused and wondering how we got there. Do you want to know about hell and why people go there? Hint: Read your Bible! Quit listening to a bunch of opinions from preachers tell you what the Bible says, go read it for yourself!

Back to Simeon. None of this was by accident, 100% of it was by design and desire from God because God loved Simeon and his lasting loyalty to believe in all those words the Old Testament spokespersons had said about the Messiah. That day, that moment had been set in motion before the earth was ever created! It was God-timed and perfect. Simeon just needed to be obedient and go to the Temple that day to receive the promised gift of seeing Jesus! So here’s the quick-tip I pick up, when the Holy Spirit prompts. nudges, whispers or shouts – JUST DO IT! There is an enormous gift, opportunity or even a warning waiting on the other side of that encounter. If you ask, “well, how do I know it’s God?” Great question. First, spend time in the Bible getting to know the ways of God. Then practice listening and obeying. The more time you spend with someone, ACTIVELY listening, you actually get a sense of what they are wanting even BEFORE they speak.

Simeon waited. He was patient and consistent. He listened and obeyed. And the day, the moment arrived, just as God planned. Then Simeon busted out with this cool prayer:

“Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Luke 2:29-32 NLT

PRAYER:

Dad, You know that I’ve been in your word and even more intentional about listening to your voice, your leading. It gets so LOUD with busyness and tons of minutia that I get all stressed out. I was stressed out rushing to work today! Why? I have no idea. I know that the load you’ve designed for me to carry is formatted to giving you MOST, if not ALL the things that get to me. As I get even older, like Simeon, I don’t want to miss out on the miraculous moments you desire for me.