COINCIDENCE OR ORCHESTRATED?

Exploring God’s Carefully Laid Plan

Anchor Scripture

“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel.”

—1 Samuel 9:16 (NIV)

Don’t you just love it when you are thinking of someone and they suddenly appear, or when something unexpected happens at just the right time? In those moments, we often exclaim, “What a coincidence!”

We usually think of coincidence as something that happens by chance—two or more things coming together unexpectedly, without any apparent planning.

But what if what looks like coincidence is not coincidence at all? What if, behind some of the unexpected events of our lives, there is a God who is quietly putting things in place to accomplish His purposes?

Today, come with me to explore the God behind the “by chance” moments of life—how He sometimes uses unexpected events to solve problems, meet our needs, or advance His purposes in our lives.

Throughout Scripture, we encounter a God who introduces new factors into situations to fulfil His purposes—often in ways that appear coincidental.

A clear example is found in the story of Samuel anointing Saul as king.

Let’s begin by looking at the background.

In a town in the land of Benjamin, a man named Kish lost his donkeys. He sent his son Saul, along with one of his servants, to look for them.

The donkeys had been missing for three days, and Saul and his servant had searched through several areas without finding them. Finally, Saul was ready to turn back. He said, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us” (1 Samuel 9:5).

But his servant suggested that they seek out the man of God who was in the town. Saul

Saul asked, “If we go, what can we give the man? The food in our sacks is gone. We have no gift to take to the man of God.” Remarkably, the servant had a quarter of a shekel of silver to offer, while Saul had nothing.

This suggestion from the servant would change the course of Saul’s life.

When they eventually found Samuel, he invited Saul and his servant to a meal with about thirty other people. Later, Samuel anointed Saul as the first king of Israel.

To any bystander, these events might have seemed normal. But when we look closely, we find a very detailed and carefully laid plan by God to crown Saul the first king of Israel. We know this because God had already revealed part of His plan to Samuel.

The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel:

“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him ruler over my people Israel; he will deliver them from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked on my people, for their cry has reached me.” —1 Samuel 9:16 (NIV)

If God said, “Tomorrow, I will send you a man,” it means that He was already at work through the events that led Saul to Samuel.

 To better understand how God works through what appears to be coincidence, let’s retrace Saul’s journey:

The loss of the donkeys set Saul on his journey. Was this a coincidence or orchestrated by God? Could it be that God planned the loss of the donkeys to set these events in motion? Coincidence or orchestrated?

If you are questioning—donkeys wandering away and God’s hand—remember Balaam’s donkey. Working through a donkey is not new to God. God used a donkey to intervene in Balaam’s journey and redirect him. If God could use Balaam’s donkey to accomplish His purposes, could He not also have let Saul’s donkeys loose, knowing that their disappearance would direct Saul to Samuel?

The donkeys had been missing for three days, and Saul and his servant had spent that time searching for them. Yet they arrived at precisely the time God had told Samuel to expect him. Coincidence or orchestrated?

When Saul wanted to turn back because he was worried about his father, his servant urged him to seek out the seer. Remarkably, the servant also had the money they needed for a gift to give the seer (Samuel), while Saul did not. Think about this for a moment: The servant had the money and the master did not. Was this simply chance or part of God’s orchestration? 

What about the young women at the well? When Saul and his servant asked about Samuel, the women not only pointed them towards him but enthusiastically urged them to hurry: “He’s ahead of you. Hurry now.” Their voices kept Saul moving towards Samuel when he might otherwise have turned back. Was this another “by chance” intervention by God or just a coincidence? 

From these events, we see God at work in every detail—moving events along, changing circumstances, and even providing the encouragement needed to keep Saul progressing towards Samuel.

First, there was the servant, who kept urging Saul not to give up. Then there were the young women at the well who enthusiastically hurried Saul and his servant along: “Yes, he’s here. He’s ahead of you. Hurry now.”

And when Samuel finally saw Saul, the Lord said:

This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people.”—1 Samuel 9:17 (NIV)

God confirmed that He had accomplished the plan He had told Samuel about. It seemed He was saying: “Here is the man—now do your part.”

A carefully laid plan—or what!

Samuel, on his part, believed God’s words that “Tomorrow I will send you a man.” He knew the man would arrive the next day, and he knew without a doubt that God’s plan to send him the man would not fail.

So he prepared for the meeting. He invited guests—about thirty in all—and when Saul arrived, he seated Saul and his servant at the head of those who were invited. He had even arranged with the cook to set aside a choice portion of meat for Saul before he met him.

Watch this: During the meal, Samuel told the cook

“Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.” —1 Samuel 9:23 (NIV)

Samuel then said to Saul:

“Here is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion.” 1 Samuel 9:24 (NIV)

Everything was ready to bring God’s plan to fulfilment: the people Saul encountered, the money needed for the gift, the encouragement to continue, the directions from the young women, the table prepared for him, the meat reserved for him, and even the oil with which he would be anointed.

We see God and man working together to accomplish His purpose.

After the meal, Samuel anointed Saul, just as God had planned.

The story did not end there. If you read further down in Samuel, you will see Samuel instructing Saul, step by step, what to expect on his way back to his father—again, a carefully laid-out plan. Step by step. Detail by detail—the invisible had worked everything out.

This story demonstrates God’s ability to accomplish whatever He purposes. It brings to mind His question to Abraham:

“Is anything too hard for the LORD?”

—Genesis 18:14 (NIV)

The answer is clear—in Jeremiah’s words:

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”

—Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

What Does This Mean for Us?

The same God who works through every detail says to you and me:

“For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” —Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

The story of Saul and Samuel should give us confidence that God can put everything in motion to accomplish His carefully laid plans for our lives.

Imagine the frustration Saul and his servant must have experienced as they travelled from town to town searching for the donkeys. They were tired, hungry, and ready to give up. As far as they knew, they were simply dealing with a frustrating problem that had taken them far from home.

Every step of that frustrating journey was taking Saul closer to Samuel, and ultimately to the throne of Israel. Saul could not see it. His servant could not see it. They only knew they had lost some donkeys.

But they did not know what we now know: they were moving toward their destiny.

Everything was ready to bring God’s plan to fulfilment: the people Saul encountered, the money needed for the gift, the encouragement to continue, the directions from the young women, the table prepared for him, the meat reserved for him, and even the oil with which he would be anointed.

But here is something Saul could never have imagined when he set out looking for those donkeys. Samuel told him:

“Don’t worry about the donkeys you lost three days ago, because they have been found. Soon all the wealth of Israel will belong to you and your family.”

—1 Samuel 9:20 (NCV)

Saul had set out looking for lost donkeys. He had no idea that God was leading him toward something far greater.

And perhaps that is how it is with us. Maybe we have “lost our donkeys,” whether through losing a job, an opportunity, a promotion, a relationship, or something else. We may be frustrated, tired, disappointed, and wonder why we have to go through what we are going through. We may see only the problem in front of us, while God sees the destination.

We should remember that what looks like a setback might become part of the journey God uses to take us somewhere unexpected.

We do not always know what our difficulties are meant to birth. We do not know what God may be working out through the very circumstances we wish we could escape.

But as believers, we can learn to see God’s hand in everything. Whatever we are facing, God is at work in it. He can take the good, the bad, the disappointment, the delay, and the unexpected, and work them together for our good.

Instead of worrying endlessly about how things have turned out, perhaps we can take them to God in prayer and ask, “Lord, is Your hand at work in these details?”

We can also ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes—to recognize the people God places along our path, the encouragement that comes at just the right moment, the provision we did not expect, and the circumstances that move us in a new direction.

What appears to be a coincidence may be God carefully orchestrating events for a greater purpose.

REFLECTION:

As You Go About Your Day

Ask yourself:

• Are there any “lost donkey” moments in my life—disappointments, delays, or detours—that God might be using to lead me somewhere unexpected?

  
  

• How might I view my setbacks differently, knowing that God can work through what appears random?

  
  

• Are there seemingly coincidental encounters or events that I need to consider more closely?

  
  

• Can I trust God even when I cannot yet see how all the details fit together?

  
  

May the Lord help us trust Him to bring His plans for our lives to fruition. In Jesus name.