Many years ago my friend Tony introduced me to The Urantia Book. Tony and I used to talk about religion and philosophy and we used to search for exotic books. He found The Urantia Book in a bookstore and started telling me some of what it said. There came a time when I decided I had to have it – but I was very poor. So I did what I always did back then. I waited until God placed it into my hands. At that time I firmly believed that God was making sure that I read important books. And strangely enough the books that I thought I needed to read always seemed to show up. The Urantia Book soon showed up as well. I visited a bookstore in the downtown area that never had anything I was interested in. I browsed and shelves and there it was – a beat up old copy of the Urantia Book. The dust cover was trashed and soon disintegrated. The binding was loose and now can be made to do the Macarena. I don’t know what it was doing there or why it was such a mess, but the price was right. Thirteen bucks - and I just happened to have it in my pocket. Now I would like to ask you, was this a coincidence, or was it synchronicity?
I associate the concept of synchronicity with the providence of God. The reason for this is because I believe that God is directing the universe towards a goal that only God can foresee. And so I believe events that are not accidental are directed by divinity and not by elements of the subconscious. With that being said – is the above story an example of God stepping into my life and making something important happen? And could I look around and find other examples of God’s providence occurring? How about the series of events that led to my wife and I meeting? Was it God directing our actions to bring us together – as so many people believe? How much of life is accident and how much God’s providence?
The Urantia Book says that there is “an organic unity” in the universe which underlies and upholds all of the events that occur in the cosmos (56.2). This quote suggests that there is such a thing as synchronicity. But the book also says that all too often we confuse providence with chance (1305.3). Obviously the answer is not a black and white one. The book says that God works with the celestial hosts within cosmic law to help God’s children advance (54.4). God’s law controls the universal application of providence. God loves all of his/her children but shows no partiality towards any (137.3). God is concerned with the individual and meets us in our hearts. But providence becomes involved in the whole – God’s creation advances under God’s guidance and care (1305.7). Even though the universe appears to be chaotic and confused providence invariably works things out to God’s glory and the good of God’s children (56.3). As I said before God cares for every individual but when people pray for divine intervention the answer often ends up being a changed attitude towards life rather than God changing events (1307.2). God is concerned for us to advance and progress. God has marshaled the forces of the universe to help us to do this. But God is not going to abridge the wise laws that he/she has created for any individual creature.
And so my answer to the above questions is yes and no. Yes, I believe that everything of eternal value does lead us to a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father and eventually God’s presence. And because The Urantia Book helps me on my spiritual journey it is part of God’s plan for me. The same could be said for my relationship with my wife since she has helped me to understand love for another and therefore understand God’s love for me. But at the same time the answer is no. God did not stop the movement of the cosmos to make sure that I read the right book and married the right girl. I could finish writing this and walk in front of a bus and be gone – and God wouldn’t stop the natural outworking of events on this planet just for me. Where providence comes in is the fact that I have made an eternal decision to seek to do the Father’s will. And as long as I strive for this purpose I am assured of ultimate success and an infinite existence.
Most of the time being in the right place at the right time is just that and nothing more. But I do believe that experiences of eternal value – ones that help lead me closer to God – are a part of God’s providential plan for me. And it’s not so much that God has made them happen as I have chosen to make my experiences matter by seeking to do God’s will. They matter because they lead me ever closer to God’s presence. And so a long time ago I found The Urantia Book or it found me. What’s the difference? As long as I’ve found God!
God bless you,
William Whitehead
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