Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 6:9, And watch: if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth Shemesh, then He has done us this great evil. But if not, then we shall know that it is not His hand that struck us—it happened to us by chance.”
How often have we recounted an unexpected event or something that worked out in a strange way and said, “Wow, what a coincidence”? Maybe something happens in our life and we convince ourselves that it happened by chance. Well, for those of us who know Jesus as our Savior, I want to say this very clearly…with God there are no coincidences or “it happened by chance” moments. We serve a God who not only knows every detail of our lives, but works in every detail of our lives. He is concerned with the most minute occurrence in our everyday living. If you do not believe me, read His Word and pay close attention to how much detail God recorded in His Word. Read the events that took place in people’s live “by chance” and “by coincidence” and note that it was all part of God’s plan for that time and that person. It is no different for us today. When we deny God’s knowledge of what happens in our lives, or deny that He is in the details, we are no better than the wicked. Psalm 73:11-12 read, “And they say, ‘How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?’ Such are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.” Those who want to deny God’s existence or who want to deny that they are accountable to Him will be like these Philistines, who instead of turning to God upon seeing His wrath, would rather write it off to coincidence and chance. When Joseph went to look for his brothers in Genesis 37:15-17, he encountered a man, “who just happened to be in the field”, who directed Joseph to where his brothers had gone. Was this chance or coincidence? No, it was all part of God’s plan to get Joseph to Egypt. A random stranger in the place where Joseph had been looking for his brothers was not a coincidence or a chance meeting. This was God setting Joseph on the path to being the second most powerful man in Egypt. Psalm 105:16-22 tells us, “Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. 17 He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. 18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons. 19 Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. 20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of the people let him go free. 21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions, 22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, and teach his elders wisdom.” Joseph did not suffer by chance. His suffering had a purpose, and that purpose was the glory of God! Our suffering for Christ is never in vain, regardless of what path God leads us on. When David was running from King Saul, there was an occasion where he had the opportunity, once again, to kill King Saul, the Scriptures tells us that a sleep came upon King Saul. This sleep was from the Lord. In 1 Samuel 26:12 we are told, “So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul’s head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.” God is a God who know all things and knows every detail. He works every detail in our lives, whether we perceive it as good or bad, for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28-29). So, the next time we are tempted to chalk something up to chance or coincidence, we must remind ourselves that our God is not a God who is lost to the details in our lives. He uses every detail to guide us to where He wants us to go, and uses them to mold us into who He is shaping us to be.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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