I am constantly amazed at the timing of God. Some people may interpret that opportune moment as an accident, or as random chance, but as a Christian we should recognize it as the activity of God in our lives. A secular, godless faith seeks to attribute amazing moments to mere coincidence, but the faith of the Christian (and of many other religions) is that there are no accidents. There is a divine plan unfolding. 

That seemingly chance encounter is really just that spot in our lives where the underground river of God’s plans make their appearance. It is like finding an oasis of water in a seemingly dry desert. Under all the dry sand and relentless heat, flows the cool, life-giving water of God’s purposes, and he reveals himself in order to refresh us, or remind us.

Timing is Everything

So the next time you have that moment, whatever it may be, cherish it as God working in your life. To be perfectly honest, though, sometimes that awful thing that happens may be a part of God’s plan, too. I know it is more pleasant to write songs about how you just happened to be there to open the door for that beautiful woman who later became your wife (“Timing is Everything” by Garrett Hedlund), but we have to be honest and remember that in this fallen world even the apparently bad things that happen to us are a part of God’s plan. Maybe it happened as a consequence for a sin. If so, repent. Maybe it is God’s way of getting your attention, or maybe that unfortunate event–that seemingly unfortunate break down of your car, for instance–is God working in your life and he is opening an opportunity to bring somebody new into your life that you would never have met before. If you are running away from him, he is working to win you back. If you are walking with him already, he is seeking to help you grow and mature. Our faith involves trusting God, not our own abilities or wisdom.

The point is, be attentive to the purposes of God. Don’t believe the lie that randomness and meaninglessness are undergirding the things that happen in your life. God is working and his ultimate purposes are his own and he will effectively accomplish his will.

The Birth of Christ

The greatest expression of this truth–I have come to believe–occurred at the birth of Christ. God coordinated all of human history, and even the stars themselves, to proclaim the birth of his Son, and Jesus was born at exactly the perfect time.  As Paul says in Galatians 4:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Therefore I think it is safe to say that he is working in our world today, too, and in each of our lives. His purposes are playing out in the complex web of international, national, and cultural events, and in the end, he will be acknowledged as the true King of kings, even though it may not seem so now.

But in my book, 500 Year Journey, my emphasis is on the birth of Christ, which is an extraordinary event because it is the ultimate oasis. Christ’s birth is God’s plan revealing itself to a thirsty world, and I hope you will join me on the journey to understand the full implications of that event.

A Signed Copy

There is a limited time left to send people signed copies of my book before it comes out on September 12. If you would like A SIGNED COPY, please order by August 31. Otherwise, you can pre order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Book Shop, Sandman Books, Walmart, and Books-A-Million, If you are in the UK you can order from Eden. It would also be cool if you were to ask your favorite local bookstore to make copies available. Let them know soon! The release date is only a month away.

I also have copies available for GROUP STUDIES at churches. Please contact me directly at contact@coreypiper.com. Thank you!

Blessings!

If you would like to hear my interview with Calvary Chapel pastor Nick Cady, please click here.