Can a coincidence be just as much a work of God as a miracle?

Easun, 28

A young man named Easun, who had just earned his doctorate in computer science, was affected greatly by what seems to have been a coincidence. For the first 26 years of his life, he wouldn’t give religion a second thought. But after his father died two years earlier he had a dream in which his father gave him some information that seemed to him nothing short of miraculous, and he began to see that there is a spiritual side to our existence.

Easun's dream might have seemed like just a coincidence to me, but it was obviously very meaningful to Easun. It reminded me of Jesus’ statement to Nathaniel in John 1 that “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”. It might seem insignificant to the casual reader today, but at the time it set Nathanael on a spiritual journey with Jesus and changed the course of his life.

Or in John 4, when Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that he knew about her previous husbands and current relationship. It might seem likeJesus had some inside information at the time that we aren't aware of now, but from her reaction it was obvious that she believed she'd witnessed an amazing miracle. She believed Jesus was the prophesied Messiah and went to tell her whole village about him.

For Easun, the possibility that his father had spoken to him in the dream opened up a whole new spiritual realm that he hadn’t considered before. The idea that his earthly father might yet help him navigate through this life after he had died gave him great hope. How much more hope will it give to realize that he has a heavenly Father who not only created us but sustains us, who helps us not only in this life but for eternity, and who gives us Someone and something much bigger and greater than ourselves to live for?

Can a coincidence be miraculous? I think more often than not, that's the way we experience God at work in our lives, and for good reason. Imagine if we did experience an obvious miracle undeniable to the rest of the world, one which inspires awe and wonder whenever we tell others about it, rather than doubt and dismissal. Would we not lord it over others, thinking it our God-given mission to force our own truth on others, even if they weren't ready for it?

Albert Einstein said "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous". I think he may have been on to something there. Why would God want to move in our lives, yet remain anonymous? Maybe for the same reasons Jesus told people to keep quiet about his miracles. The time just wasn't right for them to be made known to the general public.

Eason seemed to be at a point in his life when he is ready to start the spiritual journey that Jesus offers, and I felt very privileged to help him hear about the Gospel for the first time in his 28 years. I hope and pray he will continue listening and start the journey with Jesus!
Or in John 4, when Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that he knew about her previous husbands and current relationship. It might seem likeJesus had some inside information at the time that we aren't aware of now, but from her reaction it was obvious that she believed she'd witnessed an amazing miracle. She believed Jesus was the prophesied Messiah and went to tell her whole village about him.

For Easun, the possibility that his father had spoken to him in the dream opened up a whole new spiritual realm that he hadn’t considered before. The idea that his earthly father might yet help him navigate through this life after he had died gave him great hope. How much more hope will it give to realize that he has a heavenly Father who not only created us but sustains us, who helps us not only in this life but for eternity, and who gives us Someone and something much bigger and greater than ourselves to live for?

Can a coincidence be miraculous? I think more often than not, that's the way we experience God at work in our lives, and for good reason. Imagine if we did experience an obvious miracle undeniable to the rest of the world, one which inspires awe and wonder whenever we tell others about it, rather than doubt and dismissal. Would we not lord it over others, thinking it our God-given mission to force our own truth on others, even if they weren't ready for it?

Albert Einstein said "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous". I think he may have been on to something there. Why would God want to move in our lives, yet remain anonymous? Maybe for the same reasons Jesus told people to keep quiet about his miracles. The time just wasn't right for them to be made known to the general public.

Eason seemed to be at a point in his life when he is ready to start the spiritual journey that Jesus offers, and I felt very privileged to help him hear about the Gospel for the first time in his 28 years. I hope and pray he will continue listening and start the journey with Jesus!

Thanks, Eason for allowing me to record our conversation! It can be seen at https://youtu.be/fZ5SDF2bQSc on my YouTube channel.

Thanks, Eason for allowing me to record our conversation! It can be seen at https://youtu.be/fZ5SDF2bQSc on my YouTube channel.