CIRCUMSTANCES & COINCIDENCES. Pts. 1-2

Twenty years ago on this date, (October 23, 1997) at the age of 48, I retired from my driving career at United Parcel Service.

At 65, my own father retired from his career as a self-employed owner of an exterminating company. Strange, however, the date stamp on the home video of the event is December 30, 1991. And on the 20^th anniversary of his retirement date, he sustained a major stroke; which culminated in his death three months later. (Speaking of the video taken on that day, my father’s retirement cake set on a table in the space on which my desktop computer now sits, and on which I am now typing this story).

I was talking to a neighbor in the wee hours of the morning, this morning. He was heading to work, and I was heading off on my hour walk around the extended neighborhood. Louis had just visited Norfolk, Virginia to attend the decommissioning ceremony of his old Navy ship. He told me how he was actually born 1 day before, (or after) the ship’s hull was first laid down; (though not necessarily the same year).

I have literally been exposed to miraculous things.

The weight of an unseen hand on my shoulder. The instantaneous healing of my son’s congenital eye condition. An angel walking down the sidewalk in the wee hours of the morning. My dearly departed pooch resting, and respiring against my shoulder; after having retired for the night in the bed we so often shared. Multiple near death experiences; all so potentially traumatic that I should not now be among the land of the living.

But I think my favorite, and most conclusive experiences have been circumstantial in nature.

Pt. 2

I mean, while I am reciting experiences, one in particular stands out for me.

My wife and I first met in the fourth grade, and dated after high school; only to marry other people. After our respective divorces, a decade later, we met and dated again, and subsequently married. Thirty years passed, and we discovered that (drum roll) we are 5^th cousins, and thus we inherited the same 4x great grandparents.

The circumstances of our lives. The coincidences of our lives; that aren’t really coincidences. For you see, God knew all about it,

…before He made the worlds.

Today I experienced a thought which I have never before considered. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, I have always been convinced that Father, Son and Holy Spirit had this pow-wow in heaven way back when, and decided that fallen man would ultimately need to be rescued, and Jesus immediate reaction was,

“Well, it will be pretty painful and disgusting, but I can do that.”

Scripture assures us that, “Before you ever took your first breath, God planned every day of your life.” (Psalm 139:16)

But, as I inferred, it was only today that it came to me. Before God made giraffes, and baboons, and earthworms, for that matter, He also knew every day, and every circumstance of His Son’s own impending life. And He realized that He was the only human, albeit the God-human, who would ever PERFECTLY fulfill the Father’s hopes and dreams for EVERY single day of His life.

Afterward

It is reassuring to me that, “My times are in His hands.” (Psalm 31:15). It is wonderful to realize that, “We are God’s special possessions.” (1^st Peter 2:9). It is encouraging that, “God has loved us with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3).

And it is hardly fathomable that, “ For God so loved the world, (among whom I am a member of that illustrious population) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). It has been said that if I happened to be the only human being on earth who had ever sinned, and needed saving, He would have gladly died on my behalf. Well, my friends, I’m absolutely convinced of it.

There are a myriad of marvelous promises in scripture. Speaking of circumstances, scripture assures us that all the “comings and goings” of a believer’s life are nothing less than providential, and that we can trust our fate to a God who keeps His promises.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He, who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.” (Romans 8:31-32).


by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Pt. 72. Copyright Pending.

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