What about Coincidences?

2 Kings 8; Psalm 119:49–72; Daniel 12; 1 Timothy 5

NCIS, Murder 101, Blue Bloods and a few other television crime shows often have someone saying, “There are no coincidences.”

A coincidence is “a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent causal connection.” Whether they realize it or not, the causal connection is most often the will of God. Here is one example:

Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the Lord has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for seven years.” So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” And while he was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.” (2 Kings 8:1–6)

God’s perfect timing is revealed in this story. He preserved this faithful believer by removing her from the famine before it began. Then he brought her before the apostate king Joram at just the right moment, not before Elisha’s servant was telling him about her and not after. Because of her faith, this king may have not shown her such favor at all yet he recognized this ‘coincidence’ and restored her land and what it had produced while she was gone.

I’ve a few such ‘coincidences’ in my life. One was when the opportunity came to take a Masters’ degree. It was expensive, but after a few days of thought, hubby said I should go for it. A couple of days after the decision was made, a totally unexpected source of income opened for me, almost the exact amount as the monthly payments for my student loan. This happened not before the decision but after; God unexpectedly provided.

One time our daughter discovered that the house she was moving into had been owned by a couple who still had keys to the place and upsetting plans for it. We prayed but the prognosis was not good. It was a long weekend and no locksmiths were answering their phones. We were helping her move and took a short trip to get something (maybe lunch). On our way back, a van passed us — with ‘locksmith’ written on the side and a phone number. Our daughter whipped out her cell phone and called. The locksmith drove directly to her new home and changed the locks.

Some ‘coincidences’ are not this dramatic. During a severe winter storm, a trip to a large store was necessary. I was not feeling well and the wind was horrific. This store was always busy so when I pulled near, I asked God for a parking spot near the door, well-nigh impossible, but I asked anyway. As I drove in, I heard Him whisper, “Turn left here” at a lane totally filled with parked cars. I turned and just as I did, a white station wagon backed out in front of me and I was blessed with the best parking spot — right in front of the doors of the store.

Coincidence? God’s answers to prayer may seem like it, but to those who know Him, His sovereign love and care show up — even when we least expect it and often as a wonderful surprise.

APPLY: Today I’m going to think about and be thankful for all the times God surprised me with unexpected events, dozens of them, even hundreds. “The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love . . . . You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.” (Psalm 119:64–65)