Coincidence?

There is no question in my mind that God is powerfully present in my life.  Little God moments occur daily for me now.  Julie tipped me off to those types of occurrences long before I ever experienced them what with her doorbell ringing angels, but it seems they occur daily for me now, too, although they don't really manifest themselves in the same way.  Take for instance last night's God moment. 

I was sharing with Julie the Bible devotion that my husband and I shared over the phone earlier.  This is our attempt to build a foundation for a possible reconciliation in God's word.  It referred to Luke 2:8 and pointed out that God uses the lowly, the downtrodden, the weak to spread his message because they are so much more accessible to everyday man than those who are nearing perfection.  I love that message because it shows me how much God loves all of us no matter what, a concept that took me a really long time to get.

Anyway, I was telling Julie about the devotional when I wandered over to my computer.  Tim had e-mailed a scanned copy of it to me!  Wow!  How odd to have just been talking about it and to have it show up in my in box.  Here's one more irony to add to the mix.  It turns out Tim read the wrong devotional last night.  That one was supposed to be today's devotional, but it was the perfect message on the perfect day for me.  Amazing.

While I am sure many people will chalk all of these things up to "coincidence" just as I used to, I can't help wondering how so many coincidences occur so frequently.  I have also noticed that when I pray for those who request it, it seems those people share amazing stories of success over illness or circumstances.  Maybe it's coincidence, but I sure seem to have a lot of coincidences occurring if that is all there is to it.

I can see how God's mercy and grace has turned Tim around.  To hear of him speak about God so happily, so joyously, so freely is truly miraculous.  He unabashed love for Jesus has transformed his entire demeanor.  Gone is his sarcasm and cynicism of the world and the people who inhabit it.  He seems flooded with gratitude for his sobriety, his newfound faith, his family, and for me.  It is a good start.  I hadn't intended on ever giving him another chance, and then all these "coincidences" began.

After the violent episode and Tim's leaving the state, I had prayed consistently that God would help Tim overcome alcoholism, help him own his behaviors and accept responsiblity for them, help him forgive himself and see how valuable a person he is.  I prayed that Tim would accept Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.  I prayed that Tim would seek out counseling for his alcoholism and his childhood issues.   Every single one of these has come true, and I didn't tell Tim about any of these expectations. 

The "coincidence" that blew me away the most and caused me to search out God's message concerning possible reconciliation was when Tim told me he was seeing his pastor regarding personal childhood issue (sexual abuse).  I literally got a cold chill that ran down my body when he said that because that is something he used to so adamantly refuse to do, to the point where I figured it would never happen.  To him an unprompted admission that he was willingly seeking out this as an option froze me in place.  I thanked God that night and asked him to guide me, to show me His will for me.  That is how Tim and I have started to read the Bible together nightly and pray.  I absolutely feel a new bond with Tim that I have never had before.  He isn't pushing for a time frame on reconciliation - understands it might be months, years, maybe never.  But he continues to seek out God's will for him. 

If I am seeking God's will and Tim does the same, I have no doubt in my mind that God's intentions will be carried out.  I am not wondering which Tim I am talking to on the phone anymore.  He humbly accepts that there are consequences for his previous actions and vows to follow God's will no matter what that is.

If this conversion both Tim and I have experienced is insanity, then I will happily remain insane.  I have never felt so much joy, love, happiness while alone in my entire life.  I feel God around me all the time.  This is what I never understood before and finally am lucky enough to experience, and I gotta tell 'ya.  It's awesome beyond words.

Coincidence?  Nope...I think it's God Incidents!