Coincidence?

Sometimes things are too easy to write off as coincidence.

“Ha! What a coincidence” is an easy, although incomplete excuse for not facing the reality of things sometimes.

I’m not sure I believe in coincidences. I’m pretty sure they are tidbits. Warnings. Divine interventions or eye-openers.

Today I started my morning routine of “quiet-time” with a daily reading that I have no control over. It’s preset, written by someone that doesn’t know me and it was from the book of Amos.

Humm. Interesting. I haven’t spent much time, if any, in Amos. I know someone named Amos...I wonder if this is where their mom got the name...What’s so important about Amos?

I look it up.

He was a prophet. What is that? It’s a person who prophesied about things. They are in tune with what God wants and they use their voice and influence to warn and advice others.

I read the daily devotional, consider it and how it affects my day and my life...then I go on to my prayer and praise list and ponder my “needs” before praying and channeling my focus on what God had for me to hear.

THEN I open the Word where I had left off previously using my handy-dandy bookmark; and I remember that I had tried to complete this daily reading on Saturday, but was diverted, and then on Sunday I didn’t even go to my quiet time space, I spent it differently that day. Today I’m back on schedule and low and behold...I’m staring at Amos chapter one, verse one…

Coincidence? I think not.

Was it a coincidence that I didn’t read this section on either of the last two mornings?

Was it coincidence that my routine changed?

Was it coincidence that today’s devotion was the same as the scripture that was laid out for me in my daily reading of the Bible that is NOT predestined by someone other than myself?

Why do I read this text that’s laid out in a format to be read on certain days in order to finish in a year, differently? This is May, I’m reading in June. No coincidence-God works that way, make no mistake.

No! It’s not coincident.

Why me? I’m just a gal, simple, plain, homemaker, not outgoing...kinda snippy and unapproachable and I see things so differently I wonder if I make sense at all.

Because- I asked to be used. I asked to be directed. I desire to be whipped into shape.

Being a Christian does not eleminate me from challenges and struggles, if anything it throws me in the direct path of them.

Today is not a coincidence. The inclusion of the Old Testement in the Word of God is not a coincidence and it should not be ignored. There are too many similarities in B.C. times and now, and don’t think for one second that it doesn’t pertain to us; you, me, other countries...Don’t think for a milisecond that God won’t raise His hand and bring fire at any given time. (Amos 1:4, 1:7, 1:10, 1:14, 2:2, 2:5-He was TICKED!)

Jesus came to save us from our own stupidity. We, as humans, have the same problem we’ve had since the beginning of time- we sin. Over and over and over and over. Worse than my mule who won’t stop trying to get in the feed bucket no matter what you do to him...we sin. Jesus saves us from being condemned to hell because of it, but that doesn’t mean that God cannot have His wrath upon us.

(Check out chapter 3!)

Wake up! There is no coincidence that you’ve read this far.

Times are always changing. History is full of suffering, war, drought, famine...change. And every time there’s a peace that follows. A blessing time. A time of healing, restoration, bounty.

And every time people forget. They get complacent and turn back to the old ways, the easy ways, and don’t prepare for the change that could come back around at any moment.

Anyone who opens their mind to the Word of God can easily see the warnings. Now is not a time to be prideful and complacent. It’s not a time to be selfish or haughty. This is a time to get priorities straight and be humble. Focused. (Chapter 4-HEAR THIS WORD)

A promise made better be a promise kept.

When work is being done, health is replenished, “normal” is realized again, the answers to the asks that you pleaded for should be plastered on the wall where you see them and remember them.

There will be a day that will be too late to revert back to the gratitude filled mornings.

When you put your hand on the wall, be wary of the serpent- (Second half of chapter 5)

It won’t be a coincidence.

Amos was just a shepherd, minding his business, tending the fig trees and worrying over sheep. He warned of huge changes coming and he was dismissed-actually sent away! They didn’t want to hear it any more. However, just getting him out of earshot didn’t change the truth of what God used Amos to warn others of.

I may not be a seminary educated scholar, but I know when God is telling me to do something. (chapter 7) And I’m not naive enough to dismiss the similarities that He is showing me in the book of Amos that I’ve never paid attention to before, to what’s going on in our world today.

I don’t want to be complacent like those listed in chapter 6!

Get right. Don’t wait. Yes, this is a time to make the most of what we’ve got, so do it. Get in the word! Don’t fixate on what isn’t important-get your priorities right.

It’s ludicrous to see and hear what people are complaining about these days. Keep it up and there won’t be thoughts of pedicures, haircuts and coffee-I can’t even fathom the ridiculousness of that, It’ll be much worse. Those that are complaining about petty things will have it the worst. Just read chapter 8...