Coincidence, Karma, fluke, quirk, happenstance, twist of fate, luck or just plain weird are all expressions used to describe something that happens in a surprising or remarkable way.
We all have things happen to us that we consider extraordinary, amazing, or unexpected. Should we attribute those events to one of the words above? Or is an act of God involved?
My entire life has been marked by strange events that I used to describe with words such as those above until I finally acquiesced and admitted that God was moving in my life in miraculous ways. My book is in fact entitled Miracle on Luckie Street. God moves boldly in providential ways in my life nearly every single day and it cannot be described in any other way than a miracle of God.
Consider this week. I was scheduled to go to Dallas to attend a board meeting and had already made my plane reservation and hotel arrangements and had every intention of going; however yesterday I decided not to go and stay home and get caught up on several important projects. I sent my comments for the meeting by letter and cancelled all my travel arrangements.
Ahhh . . . That left me with two full free days on my calendar with no appointments, something that is rare indeed and treasured by me. Yippee!
Last night I received a call from a friend in Atlanta who had recently invited me to speak at an entrepreneur summit in Atlanta that was sponsored in part by Shark Tank. He told me that my talk was well received and in fact the University President who spoke right before me told him to contact me to let me know that he was making arrangements to present me with an honorary PHD from his university.
Huh?
Wow I was humbled beyond the pale by that piece of news I tell you.
Doctor Bob? Too strange . . . I don’t even have an undergraduate degree.
Then he told me that he knew it was short notice, but he asked if there was any way I could come to Atlanta again this Saturday to meet with Mark Burnett one on one for a couple of hours, and put one of my books in his hand in the hopes he will use it in one of his projects. In case you don’t know who Mark Burnett is, he produced Shark Tank, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Voice, The Sing Off and People’s Choice Awards. In 2013 TV Guide Magazine named him “Producer of the Year.” Also, he was named one of the world’s most influential people by TIME Magazine. He has won five Emmy Awards and five People’s Choice Awards and his projects have garnered a total of 98 Emmy nominations.
Most important to me he produced The Bible, a television miniseries based on the Bible that was broadcast weekly between March 3 and March 31, 2013 on History. While Burnett is best known for producing prime-time hit reality shows, he considers the scripted 10-hour series to be the “most important” project he has undertaken. In fact he recently said at The Global Leadership Summit that producing the miniseries was a “calling from God”. Yes, Mark is a born again believer!
Gulp!
Well yeah! I’d love to meet him and put one of my books in his hand for him to consider using in one of his projects. Sounds good – sounds good . . .
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
As I ponder these events I know my Father orchestrated this. It is not coincidence or Karma or luck that I’m heading to Atlanta instead of Dallas today; it was ordained by God.
I shared this with a friend of mine and he remarked that God continues to find favor in me.
I replied, “Finding favor I don’t deserve – Classic behavior of God”.
He agreed.
I spoke with another friend by phone about it and he said he is no longer surprised by things like that happening in my life and to our ministry. He is growing used to it. I on the other hand cannot “get used to it” and stand amazed every time it happens.
I taught my Bible study class at Honey Lake Church last week that there are several ways that God speaks to us: through His creation including the stars and heavens, prophecies, (those that have already occurred and those yet to occur), through His word the Holy Bible, gently whispering to our spirits during prayer, and meditation, and through miracles. I’m sensitive to all of them.
I don’t understand how God could find favor in me and bless me as He has done. I’m riddled with weaknesses and prone to making mistakes (and oftentimes serious ones) and have been that way all of my life. I do not deserve favor; in fact I deserve punishment. I do love the Lord with all of my heart and lament the fact that I make so many mistakes and am not perfect and too often let him down with my stupidity, rebelliousness, and assorted weaknesses.
I will say that I do believe in and love my Father with all of my heart and I pray to Him that He will bless me in my efforts to glorify his name and find ways to preach the Gospel to every nation including America. I BELIEVE IN PRAYER and you should too. Just read the verse at the end of this post. Perhaps that is why He blesses me, (I ask Him to do so), or perhaps it is just because of His mysterious grace and love that surpasses all human understanding.
I do know that in all creation the real miracle is God’s loving grace. Nothing surpasses it.
I’m so thankful to you Lord God for your grace that I cannot adequately find words to express it. I love you Jesus! Amen . . .
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church this Sunday and be sure to attend my Bible study, (yes I’ll be back from Atlanta in time for Bible study and church). If you can’t worship with us at Honey Lake, then attend somewhere – You will be blessed.
John 14:11
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son . . .
January 17, 2014 – Click here to listen