Coincidences

Have you ever had that moment, where you’ve been talking about something that you might want to buy, like a chainsaw or ukelele, and the very next day it’s on special at Aldi? Or have you ever had those moments when something that you’ve been speaking about keeps popping up at random on the radio, in a book you’re reading and you think “well that’s a coincidence?”

Coincidences seem to happen to me alot. However, over time I’ve started to realise that for me (and it might be different for you) that they’re not actually coincidences at all. These are the moments when God is speaking to me or is looking after me.

One of my most vivid memories of this is from quite a few years ago now, when my family and I were walking along a deserted beach in Queensland. One of my children was frolicking in the sea when they suddenly began to scream. We did the initial first aid assessment for missing limbs and open wounds, but we couldn’t see anything obvious to be causing so much distress. Then it dawned on us that it could be a jellyfish sting. We tried to comfort our distressed child, and look around for help, but quickly realised that we were on a deserted beach and we had no phone reception. When seemingly out of nowhere the Surf Rescue team appeared driving along the beach. We flagged them down and they bundled us into their truck and we sped down the beach like an episode of Surf Patrol, where they administered first aid. A little while later reflecting on the drama of the day, my mum turns to me and says “what a coincidence that surf rescue would appear on the beach, just like that, right when we needed them” and I turn back and say “no mum, there’s no such thing as coincidence”.

Are you noticing any coincidences in your life right now, that could be God speaking to you or nudging you in a different direction?