Meaningless, Meaningless
I was on Facebook a few moments ago and one of the young women at our church made the following statement:
"You can't describe (ascribe - JBT) great cosmic significance to a simple earthly event. Coincidence, that's all anything ever is, nothing more than coincidence. There is no such thing as fate. Nothing is meant to be."
This may have been a quote from someone or her own thoughts, I'm not sure, but this I do know, life is more, much more than coincidence. The fact that we exist at all is a choice made by the only true God and the choice was made so that we might seek Him - Acts 17:27. God is love and love, by its very definition, must express itself. God chose to express Himself in us. We were made in His image - Genesis 1:26 - and are recreated in Christ Jesus in order that we might conform to His image - Romans 8:29. We reflect God to a world lost in its own desperation. We are testimony that says God cares and is active in the lives of everyone. Listen to the following from Matthew 5:
"43 You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This love of the Father that was and is expressed in the creation of the universe - has there been a greater cosmic anything that exceeds creation? - is demonstrated over and over in the rains that fall on the just and unjust, righteous and unrighteous. God is saying He loves everyone and there is nothing we can do or have done that will shut off that love. And for those of us who trust Him, we too must and will love those who are against us, those who abuse us and excuse themselves. We do this because we learn it from our Father and His Son. And we learn that our doing this is no coincidence, but is all planned out - remember Romans 8:29 - and ultimately expressed in Calvary's Cross, where the greatest words ever spoken were offered; "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they're doing." This, all this and so much more is intentional.
Coincidence is rare. What we see about us is the plan and predictions of God being fulfilled in strange and wonderful ways, as well as terrible and dramatic happenings. I know it's going to rain today and when it rains it will be from God. It will fall on all types of people and it will be intentional. The wise man once said:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
Yet at the end of Ecclesiastes Solomon had changed his mind and recognized that there were no small things, no meaningless things, but all things had purpose (Remember chapter 3):
"You can't describe (ascribe - JBT) great cosmic significance to a simple earthly event. Coincidence, that's all anything ever is, nothing more than coincidence. There is no such thing as fate. Nothing is meant to be."
This may have been a quote from someone or her own thoughts, I'm not sure, but this I do know, life is more, much more than coincidence. The fact that we exist at all is a choice made by the only true God and the choice was made so that we might seek Him - Acts 17:27. God is love and love, by its very definition, must express itself. God chose to express Himself in us. We were made in His image - Genesis 1:26 - and are recreated in Christ Jesus in order that we might conform to His image - Romans 8:29. We reflect God to a world lost in its own desperation. We are testimony that says God cares and is active in the lives of everyone. Listen to the following from Matthew 5:
"43 You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
This love of the Father that was and is expressed in the creation of the universe - has there been a greater cosmic anything that exceeds creation? - is demonstrated over and over in the rains that fall on the just and unjust, righteous and unrighteous. God is saying He loves everyone and there is nothing we can do or have done that will shut off that love. And for those of us who trust Him, we too must and will love those who are against us, those who abuse us and excuse themselves. We do this because we learn it from our Father and His Son. And we learn that our doing this is no coincidence, but is all planned out - remember Romans 8:29 - and ultimately expressed in Calvary's Cross, where the greatest words ever spoken were offered; "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they're doing." This, all this and so much more is intentional.
Coincidence is rare. What we see about us is the plan and predictions of God being fulfilled in strange and wonderful ways, as well as terrible and dramatic happenings. I know it's going to rain today and when it rains it will be from God. It will fall on all types of people and it will be intentional. The wise man once said:
"Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless."
Yet at the end of Ecclesiastes Solomon had changed his mind and recognized that there were no small things, no meaningless things, but all things had purpose (Remember chapter 3):
Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Labels: coincidence, creation, judgment, purpose
posted by Josiah Tilton at 8:36 AM
1 Comments:
Is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy coincidence or fate? Did God created us, wish us good luck, and send us on our way until we would meet him at judgment? Or,does He have a plan for each of us and guides us by what we would call fate, coincidence, good luck or bad?
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10.) It would seem He is involved in our lives.
M. Adams
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