Growing up, I was fascinated with being surprised. Learning new things. I was curious, inquisitive, to the point of driving my parents crazy with all my questions. Looking at my life and personality now…I haven’t changed. I STILL love learning how things are made, how our world was created…trying to wrap my mind around the vast expanse of our universe while trying to comprehend there are no boundary lines. There’s no end, no wall a space traveler could bump into and declare “There! I made it, time to turn around…” I cannot comprehend the concept of infinity and eternity even if I squeeze my eyes shut and focus on the wonder and awe trying to answer my curious questions and wonder.

Intertwined with my amazement about our world  is my conceptual understanding that I am living a life that does not hold or entertain “coincidences”. I used to accept seemingly strange or quirky experiences as good fun, an opportunity to shrug my shoulders and laugh them off as a nice lighthearted moment. Not anymore. Before you get worried that something catastrophic happened to change my mind, you need not worry. Actually, my arrival at this place of no longer being surprised or challenged by an unexpected set of circumstances evolved over my 40 years of following Christ, reading scripture, discovering some key passages, and listening to many different biblical teachers.

One of the first scripture verses I encountered when reading through the Psalms was Psalm 37:23. Here, I am using the Common Jewish Bible translation because, well, I like it, ok? It reads: “ADONAI directs a person’s steps, and he delights in his way.”  Other versions say “establishes”, “orders”, “blazed by God”. I’ve used this verse when teaching people that God indeed plans out our day and the very path/direction we are to go. From personal experience, I can tell you it’s pretty cool to be able to look back on a day and see the how’s and why’s of where God took me. I’d like to share a few.

A number of years ago I was headed to Kroger for our weekly grocery trip. On the way I spoke to God out loud, explaining to Him (as if He needed my help) that I had some extra money and would like to shop for some new clothing items. In my mind I thought I’d go to Target but He clearly interrupted my prayer and told me “No, I want you to go to Younkers”. I was caught off guard. I was surprised. “Younkers?” I asked. I reminded him I NEVER shop there…their prices are above my budget. But, as I got closer to the shopping mall,  the leading didn’t leave or fade and next I knew I had parked my car and entered the anchor store at the end of the shopping mall. I made several purchases (they DID fit my budget) which made me happy but I was confused. I obeyed. I went to Younkers but there had been no one, no obvious indication of why I was there. Until I descended the elevator. As I passed the jewelry counter I casually asked the lone clerk, an older woman, “how’s your day going?” Her face turned toward me (I had obviously caught her off guard) and she replied “not so good.”  I stopped, thinking our conversation would be very surface in nature, but before I was fully prepared, she began to pour out her heart to me. Her marriage of nearly 50 years had ended. Her dependence on her husband’s income as his spouse was over. She had taken the sales position at Younkers in an effort to begin providing for herself, start over….anyone who’s been through the trauma of an unwanted divorce can understand. I had some experiences similar to her as well as our daughter. I drew from those paths to let her know that she’d be okay, that God heals, restores, and provides in ways we cannot imagine. She thanked me for encouraging her and we said our goodbyes. I thought I was headed to Target but God knew a beautiful woman in Younkers needed His message of love, hope, and encouragement.

When our children were elementary school age, we took them to a waterpark in Michigan for a one day excursion. We enjoyed all the attractions the park had to offer under a hot summer sun which included floating down the “Lazy River”, a winding path that soothed tired muscles and allowed complete enjoyment with little to no effort. All four of us liked the river; it was a perfect ending to our day, and added to laughter and great memories we looked forward to sharing during the almost two hour drive home. We got our hot tired bodies to the car waiting for my husband to let us in, toss in our bags, but to OUR surprise, the car keys were not in the pocket of the shorts he had worn all day….yup. The car keys enjoyed every water ride he went on….and now they were gone. We made our way to the park office to ask (literally cry) for help. “Oh, this happens so often”, she said. “Chances are your keys are in the Lazy River. It’s easy!” she said. “Just walk backwards in the river while running your foot along the bottom edge of the wall. If they are there, the current of the water pushes stuff to the side.” We did as she instructed, leaving our two kids sitting at a table by themselves. I’ll spare you with the number of people who said “hey, do you know you’re going backwards?” “Whatcha doing?”….Every memory from the waterpark has faded except that one and the conversation with our kids at the park table eating a slice of pizza while we waited for a locksmith to arrive. My husband was angry at himself. I was tired and by now trying to entertain two kids who were anxious to get home. As we discussed our current situation, it was our daughter who spoke up and said very confidently “Well, maybe dad lost the keys so we’d have to stay here longer. Maybe there’s a bad accident on the expressway God is saving us from.”  My husband and I looked at her, looked at each other, and without hesitation we agreed. How could we argue with a youngster who was paying attention to important lessons being taught not only by us, but by others at church.

Perhaps the most poignant teaching I learned about “coincidences” was from Rabbi Daniel Lapin, a biblical scholar I’ve come to enjoy. In a short YouTube video, he teaches there is NO Hebrew word for coincidence because with God there are NO such thing–everything He does is with purpose. When I heard that I had an aha moment and tied it right back to Psalm 37:23. Thanks to Lapin’s teaching I’ve got a richer understanding now as I think about my day, what I will do, where I might go, the journey to get there…who will I meet? What will my message be? Where are we going, God? I’m willing to listen, willing to obey, willing to go. But, please, no more lost car keys, ok? Unless You may be protecting me from something that I may never know about other than to know You are good. You love me. You establish, order, blaze…each day and path.