Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
So there we were, dropping our eldest off for his last full week of college classes and we were heading for the freeway, and then a number of things happened all at once:
- We decided to take a different route and enter the freeway from a different on-ramp, a route we simply never take;
- As we were about to get on the ramp, the guy ahead of us in a van stopped on a green light which slowed us down just long enough to notice…
- There was a hitchhiker who looked really familiar; in fact a guy that we got to know through the ministry organization my wife co-founded;
- Because we were moving a bit slower because of the van, we were able to quickly pull over, honk the horn, and our friend got a much appreciated ride that ended up with him being delivered to his front door.
I really, really, really don’t want to overuse the phrase, “It was a God-thing.” But I really, really, really believe we were directed to take a different route home, and I really, really, really believe God caused the van driver to slow us down long enough to see and recognize the guy hitching a ride and be able to do something about it.
Cool.
Thinking Out Loud 
I believe it, too :-)
Comment by Jon Rising — April 10, 2011 @ 6:14 pm
I love the line at the start of this post ”
“Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous”
It is today’s face book comment :)
I also believe that all those events were woven by God for you to see and serve the man who was hitch hiking. He is, after all, a God of details!
Comment by Cynthia — April 10, 2011 @ 9:17 pm
I didn’t attribute it, because I’m not sure, but I think it’s from Squire Rushnell’s book, When God Winks.
Comment by paulthinkingoutloud — April 10, 2011 @ 9:25 pm
Should we EVER believe in coincidences?
Our God is still on the throne.
He is vitally interested in His children and everything that affects them. He is vitally interested in providing encouragement and guidance for His children.
He is vitally interested in reaching out to others.
Coincidence? I like the term you use: “when God chooses to remain anonymous” but I think we often KNOW that He has been at work.
Comment by meetingintheclouds — April 11, 2011 @ 12:36 am
Consider 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are God’s fellow workers …” God is always working in the world, involved in every incident. We can cooperate with God by intentionally acting co-incidentally with Him; by doing so, we become more able to recognize God in whatever happens. Otherwise, God will remain anonymous.
Comment by Craig Tavani — April 11, 2011 @ 9:57 am