The winds grew, the rains came, and some limbs came down. The next day I found a limb lying at the nose of one of our vehicles. It had broken off a tree across the yard. Of all the places it could have landed – including on top of the car – it had come to rest at the front end. The limb may not have been large enough to do much if any damage, but I was still amazed.
For me, it served as a simple reminder of God’s care.
I not believe in coincidences. I believe that God is always in control. As I look back across my life, I cannot help but see times – both good and bad – where I know that God intervened for my sake. Some situations called for nothing short of a miracle.
And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
Exodus 14:15-16
WOW! What a site that must have been! But what if the sea did not need to be parted when they arrived? What if God had met their needs before they knew they had them? Would they have taken the provision for granted, or would they have recognized the blessing? Would they have said that it came from God, or would they have said it was a coincidence?
When they had a need, God provided. He was right on time. Because they had a need, they got to see the hand of God. And as it should be, God got all the praise, honor, and glory!
How often in life do you have a need? How often do you acknowledge God when He meets that need? Do you think you would be as apt to recognize His provision for you if your “Red Sea” never needed parting? Would you say the provision was a coincidence? Would you give God all praise, honor, and glory?
Our needs draw us closer to God, and they make us more reliant on Him. God’s provision for us is a testimony to how much He loves and cares for us. If God always provides before we have a need, we won’t necessarily see His hand at work.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
James 1:17
In reality, there are no coincidences. Every good gift is from God. Perhaps our seeing God provide is indeed a part of the blessing. It’s definitely one way for us to be reminded of how much He cares.
LIFE APPLICATION
Today’s challenge is to pause and ask yourself what God has done for you. We know He provided a Savior, but we sometimes forget about all the small things He does for us each day. Now, ask yourself if there has been a time that God met a need for you that you considered a coincidence? Think of all those little things in your life that just happened to work out. Thank God for His blessings and provisions.