It's strange how things work out

On a certain date in the late 1950s, a young married couple were in Leicester city centre when the heavens opened and an almighty downpour commenced.  Naturally, the couple sought the nearest place of shelter, which happened to be the local Co-op store.  The storm persisted for some time, so the couple wandered round the store, eventually ending up on the top floor where an exhibition of camping equipment was taking place.  They soon discovered that they weren't yet safe from the rain, as its force had created a hole in the roof, and water began to pour down on the unsuspecting couple.  Needless to say, they again quickly dashed for shelter, finding themselves in a tent which was part of the exhibition.  They found the tent to be an ideal place to keep dry, despite the flow of water from the hole in the ceiling.  That incident led the couple to fall in love with camping, and for many years they enjoyed camping holidays.

That may sound rather like made-up story, but in fact it is absolutely true.  I recently took the funeral service of the lady in the story, and the tale was related to me by her son.  It got me to thinking about how so many events in our lives only happen because of a string of circumstances come together to make them possible.  Let me cite another example.

In the mid-1970s a Methodist Deaconess, who was working in a small East Yorkshire village, decided that it would be a good idea to start a group for the teenagers who were connected with the various Methodist churches in the area.  It just so happened that Sue and I were two of the youngsters who were invited to join the group.  That's how we first met, and a few years later (after some persistent pursuing by me!) Sue and I were married.  If Gwen, the Deaconess, had not put her idea of starting a youth group into action, or if she had not thought to invite either Sue or me to the group, then the chances are we would never have met.  Consequently we would not have married each other, and we would not have been blessed by having our wonderful family.

It's strange how things work out!  Is it just chance, or is there some purpose and meaning behind it all?  I was asked recently for a suitable Bible verse to put on a birth congratulations card.  At short notice, I could think of no better verse that Jeremiah 29:11, 

'For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'

The wonderful truth is that God has a plan and a purpose for each human life.  I'm not saying that every single event is pre-planned by God (such as the storm in Leicester town centre), but I do believe that if we place our lives into his care and seek to follow him, we can rest assured that God can weave every circumstance and situation of our lives (even the bad times) into the pattern he is creating.  And he only wants the best for us.