Greetings to you in the beautiful-wonderful-powerful name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Saviour! What an interesting day in the Kingdom – it seems we are being reminded that the seasons are changing and that includes the weather…but it is still the day that He made! I trust that you had a good weekend and Monday-Tuesday with a variety of experiences that brought joy and peace to your being. Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to come to you with a manifestation of His presence that you can understand.
Over the last week God has been trying to teach me a new understanding about the word – “coincidence” – as I hear it spoken often in relation to His sudden appearances in the circumstances of our lives. In order to focus my attention, He ‘spoke’ to me through three different sources. When God wants to direct my thoughts, He usually uses written word. So, He directs me to a book called – “Chase the Lion” by Mark Batterson. Let me give you a few sentences: What I am sure of is this: God is in the business of strategically positioning in the right place at the right time…I don’t believe in coincidence, not if you are living a Spirit-led life. I believe in Providence. I believe in a sovereign God who is ordering your footsteps, preparing good works in advance, and making all things work together for good…Focus on becoming the right person. If you keep doing the right things day in and day out, God will hold up His end of the bargain!
Then God took me to His Word: “…those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. Romans 8: 14 – 15a NIV … When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child… 1 Corinthians 13:11. I had a sense that God was telling me that when I was still his child it was okay to understand things as ‘coincidences’ but as I am growing in my spiritual understanding I need to change my vocabulary and acknowledge His sudden touches in my life as ‘providence’.
Of course, He had to take me to a song…and He did! I have sung this chorus often and never really stopped to consider what I was singing. Have you ever done that? Anyway, the words are: All through the years His providence has led me-His abounding goodness has been all my song-All through the years I tell his love and mercy-Singing Ebenezer as the years roll on. Imagine…what I had been calling ‘coincidence’ has really been His ‘providence’. I have known there was more depth to all this, in fact I used to say that ‘coincidence’ was a small miracle where God choose to remain anonymous…and I used to quip – I believe in coincidences…and the more I pray the more they happen to me.
However, I think God is trying to sharpen my vocabulary and I suppose it is time to accept that I am not just his child…I am His son. led by His Spirit, and protected by His Providence. When I stop to think of all that has taken place in my life since January 15th this year…’coincidence’ is not an adequate description. It has to be…Providence.
Something to think about…be blessed!