Jeremiah 29: (NIV)
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.
I used this verse before in a recent Reflection, but it truly best describes my encounter two weeks ago. So, I’ve decided to feature this verse again.
While visiting with my father at Menno Haven Rehab, I had the opportunity to spend a little time with John Widmann who was also at Menno Haven. We had the most delightful conversation which started by him stating that he was truly grateful for the blessed life he’d lived. John shared with me numerous circumstances in his life that were factually mere “coincidences”, but for a person of faith, were truly so much more. He has allowed me to share a few.
For starters, John reminisced about how he’d met Nina through a visit with a mutual friend. John had enjoyed an unanticipated release from his military duties, slightly ahead of schedule. That introduction to Nina would never have happened, had he been released on time. Paths would never have crossed. Life would have rolled on very differently.
John went on to reminisce about a trip that our church had taken to Germany, where he and Nina stayed on to do a little family research beyond our congregation’s time there. Through some local genealogy research and the chance meeting of a town clerk who knew of John’s family, he and Nina were able to meet many German family members previously unknown to them. What a blessing that was engineered by the chance meeting of a local town clerk – whose only day on the job in that particular office was the day that John and Nina met her.
Several summers ago, I purchased a book entitled When God Winks at You, by Squire Rushnell. The author interviewed many people of all ages who had recounted their own stories of “coincidences” – utter blessings that were completely unexpected. The author called these blessings God Winks.
In spite of life’s heartache and disappointment, pain and rejection, we all have God winks. Happenings that go beyond coincidence. Blessings that make us pause, and know that God is right there. That His plans for us “give us hope and a future.” And with that comes the knowledge that God “will never leave us or forsake us.” (Hebrews 13:5)
What God winks have you experienced?
Diana Kongkeattikul
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