James 24:7

Unfreeze frame....

Let's assume the eunuch turns to Philip and says, "Hey, man...that is so weird.  I was just sitting here trying to figure out what this text is trying to say and 'boom' up you pop and ask me if I understand what I'm reading.  What in the world is going on here?"

And let's assume Philip tells him, "Yeah, things have gotten pretty weird for me too, man.  I was told by the Spirit of God to come down here and I just did as I was told and then the Spirit spoke to me and told me to come over to your chariot."

What that would suggest, I think, is that both Philip and the eunuch, at the end of their encounter, would agree that God is up to something in the world and that one of the ways God gets things dones is by crafting these accidental encounters.

Now, that is not to say that every meaningful accident is arranged by God but that at least some of them are.  (Or it may be that every meaningful conincidence is God knocking on the pipes to remind us all- whether unbeliever or believer- that there is more to life in this old cosmos than any of us can grasp.)

Coincidences are strange in their own right but sometimes they portend more strangeness to come.  

I had a teacher who raised this little case in class...

"The Sannhedrin, the Pharisees and the scribes gathered behind closed doors.  Operating out of their faithfulness to God and their commitment to the Law, they discussed what to do about that Jesus, the one who was stirring things up and sure to bring the wrath of Rome down on all their heads.  Someone suggested that they pray.  So, they all got down on their knees and prayed: "O God, help us to understand your will for us.  Make our path clear.  Help us to see what you would have us do about this Jesus.  

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and one of the old priests rose from his knees and opened it..And there stood Judas."

Maybe the real power of a coincidence is not so much in the coincidence itself.  Maybe the real power is what is done with the coincidence, what comes of it.   Are relationships formed?  Is hope shared?  Is encouragement proferred?  Is faith deepened?

Maybe the value of a coincidence is not in the coincidence but rather in the outcome of the coincidence.

I think Philip and the eunuch would probably agree with that. 

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