Is it God?

Yesterday I wrote about the image of God. In my reflections I referenced Colossians 1:15ff. A couple hours later we gathered for Morning Prayer. This liturgy includes recitation of Psalms and two readings from the Bible. As we sat listening, the reader announced the first reading.......from Colossians! She then proceeded to read the very words I had quoted prior that morning. I felt the surge I always feel when this happens. And it happens frequently. Dozens of times I have been teaching in my bible study and make a reference to a verse, or section of scripture, which I believe is connected to what we are studying, only to have it appear the next day in the readings. It happens regularly, too regularly to be ignored.

Yesterday was  the feast of William Hobart Hare. He was a dedicated missionary to the Sioux and the bishop of South Dakota. He has been dead just over one hundred years. In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer yesterday, we prayed for North and South Dakota. It made me smile. Not long ago we prayed for a parish in Memphis where an early African American leader had served, on the day of his memorial. Connections!

When is a coincidence the work of God? Some people say that there are no coincidences, but they rarely mean to apply this to bad things. [It is always helpful to work out the details a bit when you cast forth your theories.] I can imagine that the Holy Spirit at work within a person can inspire words in such a way that there is later a connection to the readings. In fact, I think it is very probable. Praying for the Dakotas while remembering Hare? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps there are intentional human decisions made to help that happen. In any case it is lovely to remember the past and pray in the present and see them connected.

Last year I was in chapel reading Matthew (at the clergy conference in Mississippi). Someone came in to tell me that a dear parishioner was taken ill and in the hospital. His condition, though serious, did not require my immediate return to Memphis. A couple days later I was home and went to see him. He shared with me his favorite section of Scripture, sort of just blurted it out. It was the very chapter I was reading when I found out about him. The next week the reading came up in the lectionary. At what point do coincidences become mathematically so unlikely that you just say, "God!"? I do not know for sure, but I can say that the trifecta we hit there seemed to be a fair place to start.

I think it best to be 'open eared ' for the Holy Spirit at all times. I am reluctant to ever declare ex cathedra what God is doing. (I also think the same humility requires that one not declare it is 'not God'.) I am not reluctant, however, to hope. Nor is listening and watching for these synchronous events a waste of time. God is speaking in our midst. We need to listen. Why wouldn't He connect our thougths and words with HIS THOUGHTS in HIS WORD?

One other thing, last week my son asked me about the most runs ever given up by one pitcher. He asked several other related questions. My guess was about fourteen or so. Yesterday on the radio I learned that Indians had put up fourteen runs on a relief pitcher, which led the commentator to share the most runs ever by a pitcher was twenty four. What a coincidence! However, if it begins to happen as often as bible verses pop up, then I might think God cares about baseball statistics too!

So I believe there are coincidences. I do not think every time there is one that I need to declare it is a mighty work of God. On the other hand, I do need to be aware. God is talking. We need to be listening. All the time.