“There is a God who governs the world, so that things do not come to pass by chance, no, not the smallest event, but all by Divine direction.” ~ Matthew Henry
Crazy Coincidence or Divine Appointment?
There was a lady who experienced quite the coincidence in the Bible. You may or may not know her as the Shunammite woman whose son was raised from the dead by the prophet Elisha in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 4.
Elisha had told the woman that there would be a famine in the land and she should go and stay wherever she could because the famine would last for seven years. She obeyed, took her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines for seven years.
At the end of the seven years she makes her way back to Israel to make an appeal to the king to get her house and her land returned to her. Now this is no small feat for anyone, especially for a woman! To go before the king and demand your property be returned to you after seven years of being gone had to be a little scary, and from the commentaries I have read he might not have been particularly easy to work with.
In the meantime, the king is talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God; they are just sitting around discussing all of the great things Elisha has done. There they are going down through the list of all the miracles he had performed and when Gehazi gets to the story of Elisha bringing the Shunammite woman’s son back to life she walks in at that very moment to ask the king to restore her house and land! Gehazi is beside himself and reacts like this:
“My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 2 Kings 8:5 NKJV.
It isn’t like they are the only ones in the room…surely there are many people in line to see the king just as this woman. But Gehazi sees her just as he is telling about her son’s miracle.
The king listens to her story, assigns an official to her case and tells him to “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.” 2 Kings 8:6 NIV.
Crazy Coincidence? I prefer to call it Divine Appointment!
God had taken care of her this far; He sure was not going to abandon her now!
This was no coincidence my friend, this was all divinely orchestrated by God.
Coincidence- A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged.
Can you handle one more story?
We all love Ruth and Naomi and their dedication to one another in the Old Testament. After the death of both of their husbands they move back to their homeland and in order to provide food for the two of them, Ruth is out in the field gathering grain that is left over from the harvesters.
“Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.” Ruth 2:3 NKJV.
She just happened to come to the field that belonged to Boaz…a man of influence and wealth who would soon fall in love with her and take her for his wife.
But it doesn’t end there. This little coincidence truly is a Divine Appointment, for we find Boaz and Ruth listed in the New Testament in a pretty important place.
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king.” Matthew 1:1-5 NKJV.
Surely you can think of times in your life when circumstances have come together that you knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it had to be God! Some would have called it coincidence but you knew better.
God had His hand all over it!
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.” Psalm 37:23 NKJV.
What specific instances can you recall that God has done in your life that you knew was not a coincidence?
Have you found yourself in the right place at the right time and just knew it was the hand of God?
I like to think that my God delights in getting out His datebook and setting up Divine Appointments for me!
Do you have a Divine Appointment you would like to share? We would love to hear it!
Me too Jenifer! Thank you for stopping by! ♥
Amen! His plans are far above and far better than ours! Thank you for hosting Monday’s Musings…Your button was the first one I put on my new blog! Blessings friend! ♥
Candace Jo…you know it is really comforting to know God has a plan and it is just right for us. Thank you for sharing at WJIM’s Monday’s Musings. Have a great week.
I love God’s divine appointments!
Thanks for linking up with Woman to Woman’s Word Filled Wednesday!
Jenifer
I prefer “Divine appointment” too :). I love Corrie ten Boom’s story…she is such an inspiration. Lovely, lovely post, friend.
My bible study group has recently looked at the story of Joseph. It’s amazing how God orchestrated Joseph’s life to prepare him to save so many from the seven year famine. I’m hoping to remember this story and your insights on “coincidence” whenever difficulties come my way. Thanks for sharing!
So welcome Marci…bless you friend! ♥
Wow, just exactly what I needed to read today. Thanks again.
marci
Wonderful Sister Parkey! Thank you so much. I pray it is a blessing as you are to me. ♥
Hello Sister Donna! I mentioned you in my post on Friday on the blog! You can see it here http://www.hopeinthehealing.com/2013/10/11/anything-but-ordinary/ Anything But Ordinary! It is a wonderful story dear friend…I am so glad you shared it again! God is still a healer!! He is still working miracles in the lives of people. Praise God! So happy to have you join the community of Hope in the Healing. I want you to feel at home! Blessings! ♥
I just read this article and love it! I plan to share it Tuesday with my ladies prayer group.
Love & Prayers,
Betty Parkey
Poplar Bluff, MO
This is beautiful said, I’ve have had numerous miracles…I love the part about the poem by corrie ten boom. That is how my life has been since birth and still is continuing on..God gave me a part of divine appointment at GENERAL CONFERENCE this year. I had 2 rare diseases and could not walk now GOD HAS healed my legs and I’m walking without no walker or wheelchair. He is still working in my life.
This was my first time to see this and will continue to read. I agree you are an inspiration.
Love you SISTER!
This was a blessing to me today! Thank you! 🙂
I’m like you–the 31 Days series is blessing ME in preparing the posts. That’s so like God. 🙂
This is so good:
“God does not have problems, only plans.” I’m so thankful that he appointed more divine plans in my life than I could have dreamed of.
Beautiful stories, so well told. You, CandaceJo are a wellspring of inspiration. I love reading your blog and learning learning more about Gods love through you, His servant.
I stopped by from Monday praises. Vibrantl.Blogspot.Com and so glad I did. Have a wonderful week. I’m praying for you.
I’m talking about a divine appointment over at my place today, Candace Jo. It seems we are on the same wavelength! And I’m reading in 2 Kings and almost up to the point you refer to. Now it makes me want to speed up and read that story sooner! Thanks for sharing your biblical insight. It’s always a pleasure to visit!
Good Morning! I just bumped into you over at Laura’s place … and I so appreciate you talking about those incredibly powerful divine appointments that God sprinkles along our pathways. No chance, no fate, no surprises there! Just His wisdom-laden choice to intervene, day in and day out in our lives!
Love this! I heard somewhere that a coincidence is when God remains anonymous… but you are so right that we miss out on giving God the glory when we consider something simply a coincidence or happenstance. Love you!! Thanks for sharing (and did you notice the line of people ahead of you?! Praise the Lord!!) 🙂