Thanks, God! I think.

Someone once told me there is no such thing as a coincidence. Coincidences are really just God at work where we least expect it. Here is my coincidence story.

The time change had gotten the best of me. I was tired and in need of a solid night's sleep. I had to arrive at work early the next morning for an important meeting. I crawled into bed later than I had hoped and immediately fell into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, I was awakened in the middle of the night to the sound of our chocolate lab whining. This was a rare occurrence so I knew I had to get up and attend to her.

As I walked through the laundry room to let the dog out the back door, my foot stepped into a puddle of something wet. I searched for the light to see what calamity awaited. The light revealed a large puddle of dog vomit. Nasty. Not only was my foot soaked, but the puddle had spread far enough to reach my daughter's favorite pair of boots. Double nasty.

While I so needed to be asleep, I grudgingly found the materials needed to clean up the mess. I washed the boots, cleaned the floor, and put the soiled towels into the washer. I knew I was up much longer than I had anticipated. Desperate to see how much sleep I had lost, I grabbed my cell phone to check the time as I crawled into bed.

I was surprised to find my cell phone completely dead. In the rush of the day, I had failed to notice my battery charge was almost depleted. My last task before returning to bed was to turn my phone back on and plug it in to charge. As I did this, I remembered the phone is my morning alarm.

Was this all a coincidence or had God intervened on my behalf?

As I drifted off toward sleep, here's what I concluded:

Had the dog not gotten sick, she wouldn't have whinned to go outside.
Had the dog not needed to go outside, I wouldn't have awakened in the middle of the night.
Had I not been awake so long cleaning, I wouldn't have thought to check the time on my cell phone.
Had I not checked the time, I wouldn't have realized my cell phone was dead.
Had I not turned my phone on and charged it, my alarm wouldn't have gone off in the morning.
Had my alarm not gone off, I would have missed my meeting at work.

Before sleep overtook me, I remember whispering "Thanks, God. I think."

When have you seen the hand of God at work in a similar way? Did you think it was just a coincidence? Or did you take the time to consider that He was arranging the details to work in your favor?

Are you convinced God is at work in your life-even in small and seemingly impossible ways? In the light of morning, I was convinced! Are you willing to give Him credit for the coincidences in your life? If you are a child of God, there is no such thing as a coincidence. It is simply the hand of God at work in ways or places you didn't expect.

Be aware. Feel loved. Give Him credit.

Proximity Matters

My son always lags behind. My daughter always darts ahead. It is just in their design.

My son has never been quick about anything. He is tentative, cautious, and never too adventurous. When he was younger and I held his hand, we always walked at a slow pace. There was just no hurrying him along. Even now, he is always several steps behind our family-no matter where we go.

While my son is hesitant to try new things, my daughter is a risk taker. She is carefree, brave, and bold. She embraces life with enthusiasm and would prefer a fast pace. She wants to experience it all. Over the years, there have been many times I have felt the need to rein her in.

As a mother, I want them close to me. Not in front or behind, but beside me. When they are by my side, I can provide protection. I can lead and guide them and prevent them from stumbling. I can do this best when they are next to me. Proximity matters.

In Scripture, salvation is often portrayed as a pathway. Consider the following verses:

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God, my Savior… -Psalm 25:4

Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. –Matthew 7:14

Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men…who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways. -Proverbs 2:12, 13

I have committed to walking with Christ. I understand the path is narrow. Experience has taught me that it is less traveled. I am determined to walk with Christ until He calls me home. But, I am learning that proximity matters. As I reflect on my journey thus far, I can see times when I have lagged behind or darted ahead. Here are some examples:

• God convicts me and requests a deeper consecration from me. I drag my feet and lag behind.

• I become impatient with God or I don’t fully comprehend His plan. I forge ahead on my own.

• I plod along in self pity, just barely keeping up as He leads me on.

• In excitement, I throw all caution to the wind and rush in without prayer.

• I hold to an offense, unable to forgive, and I dig in my heels and refuse to move forward.

During these times, although I am still on the right path, my proximity matters. God wants me close to Him. Not in front or behind, but right beside Him. It is there I find protection and guidance. When I walk beside Him, I am less likely to stumble. But if I do when I fall I simply fall into Him. He is that close.

What about you? What is your tendency? Are you more likely to lag behind or dart ahead? Maybe you’re like me and it all depends on your circumstances. Today, take a moment for reflection. Think about the areas of your life and determine where you are in proximity to Christ.