“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining
anonymous.”
Albert Einstein
I love this quote by Mr. Einstein. How
true it is! When we think of the word, “coincidence,” we tend to think along
the standard definition’s description:
“a chance happening: something that happens by chance in a surprising or
remarkable way; happening without planning.”
Ever had one of those experiences
like that definition? You know, those weird, in sync, “hmm” kinds of moments
which just seem to be too timely/helpful to be believed? If you call yourself a
human being, more than likely, at one time or another, you probably have had a
few. Meet God, being anonymous.
I myself have had a number of
those weird in sync moments. Back at the height of my anorexia when I was
nineteen, I had come across a girl who went to my high school, post high
school. In the cliché line of thought, “it takes one to know one,” she, a
recovering anorexic herself, had first approached me in a college history class
we shared during the spring quarter of my freshman year, calling me out on my
already too thin frame. Of course, I lied and denied, spooked by her
allegation, desperately believing I could talk myself out of the uncomfortable
encounter. At that point and time, she left it at that. Whew! Dodged a bullet
there! I thought I was home free. After all, beyond sharing the same high
school, the two of us had no real contact with one another. We weren’t in the
same circle of friends. So, I thought I was in the clear. Not so fast, Sheryle!
Just three months later, during
my summer break, I ran into her, yet again, seemingly “out of nowhere.” I was
at the mall, nothing earth shattering. But the store, of all stores, to run
into her, was a bid odd. Because of my already intense eating disorder
behaviors, I was trying to occupy my mind with anything I could think of. One
of my latest “answers” was crafting. Yes, that’s right. I said crafting. I
guess I believed pipe cleaners and cross stitch kits could save me. So, I was a
regular at the mall’s hobby store. How many college kids honestly frequent that
place, right? I remember I was close to my lowest weight, attempting to keep
from passing out, while looking at a dollhouse miniature section (really?),
just trying to occupy my highly disturbed mind when, low and behold, once again,
out of seemingly nowhere, appeared this same girl. Talk about feeling busted!
We had the initial nervous chitchat, but, c’mon, we both knew the score. She
was gentle as she could be, but eventually, came the moment of getting real.
She again, brought up the dreaded curse words of “eating disorder” to my
attention. And I had no where I had to be. I had no class I needed to escape
to, nothing pressing I had to do. I just had to stand there in front of the
dollhouse miniatures and converse with her.
The coincidence of this situation
was that I was at a point in which I fully believed and argued with God that I
was the only one who was grappling with my struggle, especially in this relatively
small town rural area. No one else would get it; no one else would understand.
It’s such a cunning and cliché lie, isn’t it? So, that was an awakening to the
reality that no, I was not the only one. There were others. I was nowhere near
healthy or in recovery mode, but this “coincidence” was a timely event which
was relevantly needed by me. It was God.
And then there was the time when,
after missing my bus, I was privy to a conversation between two strangers about
a recent change to the bus schedule starting the next week. There would have
been no other way I could have found out that information, other than to miss
my connection at that time. Really? God’s involved in a bus schedule? Isn’t
that too unimportant for God’s attention? No, God tells us about His thoughts
for us…
“I know that thou canst do everything, and
that no thought can be withholden from thee.”
Job 42:2
“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works
which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be
reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are
more than can be numbered.”
Psalms 40:5
“Thou knowest my downsitting and mine
uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”
Psalms 139:2
And that leads me to a third
coincidence. A few years ago, which attending a church Christmas raffle, one of
the winning prizes was mentioned: two tickets to a ballet performance of “The
Nutcracker.” Being a theatre fan (heck, I was a theatre graduate from college),
I have always loved the arts: drawing, painting, film, stage productions and
dance. So, this was right up there in my “heart’s desire” alley. I remember
quietly talking to God in my mind, saying, “It sure would be great to win
something like that.”
“But
as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time...”
Psalm
69:13
So, do I need to tell you what
happened next? Uh-huh. Guess who’s name was called for that particular prize?
Coincidence? Not noteworthy? Not important enough? Or God at work?
“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto
thy testimonies.”
Psalms 119:59
It’s a question worth pondering
in the circumstances of our lives, whatever they may be, don’t you think? God
is a relevant God, not just a loving God. Scripture, in fact, tells us…
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What
shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these
things do the Gentiles seek); for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have
need of all these things.”
Matthew 6:31-32
But God encourages us to start
with Him, by being in connection with Him first, in prioritizing Him…
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
And part of that means
recognizing and respecting that God is not just a thing or an irrelevant
coincidence. He is a very loving involved God and Father to each one of us.
Which way do we choose to see Him
though? Is God timely with you? I’m sure you’ve heard the famous passage from Ecclesiastes. It’s often used at funerals:
“To everything there is a season, and a time
to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time
to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a
time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and
a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away
stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to
refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and
a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a
time of peace.”
Ecclesiastes
3:1-8
Indeed, seasons, “coincidences”
and time impact every single one of us…
“…time
and chance happeneth to them all.”
Ecclesiastes
9:11
But
what’s more important than that is
that God happens to each of us, in
myriads of ways every day, whether or not we recognize or accept it. So, what
will we do with the reality of both coincidence and God? Are they the same
thing or is it, indeed, all God? Ancient Hebrew teachings reveals there is no
such word for “coincidence” in their vocabulary. Does coincidence exist for
you? Or is it all God, working intricately and relevantly on your behalf? Are
you focused on God whenever something in your life syncs up? What if God is
touching your life and connecting with you right now? What will you do with
that?
A
loving, connected and involved Heavenly Father to us all?
“One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in
you all.”
Ephesians 4:6
“But to us there
is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom are all things, and we by
him.”
1 Corinthians 8:6
Hmmm…
I think so! Coincidence? I think not!
Copyright © 2016 by Sheryle Cruse
