Serendipitous?
June 14
Cornelius, a centurion…gave generously to those in need…
Acts 10:1, 2
Jake couldn’t remember ever experiencing such a time of favor. Sure, he’d had good things happen before; but this was way beyond the norm!
A couple months ago he’d been called to his supervisor’s office and given an unexpected promotion…which had come with a sizable raise in income and benefits! He’d been told his work had caught the attention of the home office.
Then he’d received a check in the mail from his late aunt’s estate…he’d never even known she had an estate…or that he was in her will!
His daughter had received the coveted ‘Dean’s Scholarship’ at the university she had applied to! Then, to top it off, an investment he’d made more than seven years before had multiplied handsomely; what a windfall!
One of his friends had pronounced him ‘serendipitous’. He’d looked it up the dictionary: [ser-uhn-dip-i-tuhs] adj.: ‘fortuitous; having the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.’ Jake knew otherwise. He didn’t place any hope or confidence in ‘accidental occurrence’ or ‘coincidence’. He was fully aware that it had been God who had brought these blessings into his life. He just didn’t know how God intended to use him and his new-found financial blessing yet.
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How often have we heard someone say, “I can’t believe my luck!” laying claim to ‘good fortune’ ‘coincidence’ ‘serendipity’ and the myriad other false sources of blessing? And in giving credence to these ‘random acts of chance’, we rob the One Who brought the blessing, and miss the reason we’ve received it in the first place.
God entrusts to us, like He did Cornelius, great gifts. His hope is that we will allow the blessing to flow through us into the lives of those around us. He gives, not asking anything in return, hoping only that we will recognize our purpose for His favor. Frequently, the gift is not financial in nature.
The next time you experience ‘Serendipity’ take a moment to thank God for blessing you. Then you might want to ask Him what He’d like you to do with this gift you find yourself in possession of. Because the truth is, God blesses us so that we might be a blessing to others.
Prayer
“Thank You for giving to me, Father God. May I always look to pass along Your grace and love. Amen.”
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