It was on this day in 1865 that John Wilkes Booth shot our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Nine hours later on April 15, President Lincoln would be dead, claiming the unenviable title as the first president to be assassinated. What we may not realize is that there could have been a second victim that evening.
Ulysses S. Grant, who would become our 18th president, had been invited by the Lincolns to attend the theatre with them that night. Upon learning that both Lincoln and Grant were to be in attendance that evening, Booth planned to kill them both. However, at the last moment, Grant backed out of going to the theatre, choosing rather to take a trip to New Jersey to visit his children. In so doing, Grant unknowingly avoided being another victim of Booth’s hatred.
Called twists of fate, there are many who could’ve/should’ve died but on the day when tragedy befell everyone else, they had either made different plans or something interrupted their normal routine. Such is the case for “James Stefurak, CFA, [who] had a morning routine in 2001 that took him to the Trade Center on his way to work… I knew that morning of September 11, I had an unusually slow calendar. Still, even on slow days, I was usually in by 9 or 9:15 but, for whatever reason, I took my sweet time getting ready that morning and was running about 20 minutes behind schedule. When I turned on the TV, I saw what was happening.”
“Crystal Brown-Tatum, CEO and president of Crystal Clear Communications, says it was her decision to end a relationship that may have saved her life. “In 2001, I was engaged to be married and planned to relocate to New York City in June. I had a job offer from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, working in Twin Tower Two. Unfortunately, I discovered some things that caused me to call off the wedding and subsequent move. When 9/11 happened, I was numb, because I would have been working in World Trade Tower 2 on that
Tuesday. Going through a broken engagement was painful, but it was a twist of fate that possibly saved my life.”
“On September 10, 2001, George Keith drove his brand-new BMW through Central Park when the vehicle shifted into first gear unexpectedly. He made an appointment at the dealership for seven the following morning with the hopes of making it to an 8 a.m. meeting in downtown Manhattan. Keith tells Reader’s Digest that what happened next was one inconvenience he will never complain about. “I got to the BMW dealership at seven, but the mechanics refused to work before eight, so I waited an hour for a three-minute repair. I left the shop and raced down the expressway to get to my meeting, on the 73rd floor of Tower Two of the World Trade Center,” he recalls.
“I was sitting on the expressway in traffic when I saw smoke coming out of the top of the first tower that was hit, and turned on the radio to hear that a small plane had crashed into it. At that point, I glanced behind me at the Hudson River and saw a jet flying lower than I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, and then it smashed into the second tower. The fireball was enormous—I’ve never seen anything like it. I knew it was a terror attack at that point.” He adds, “I’m fortunate my car broke down, many people I know didn’t make it. It’s still an emotional thing.”1
Is it fate, providence, or the sovereignty of God at work in situations like this? Fate is just a fancier way of saying “luck,” something that the believer needs to wash out of their mouths with a bar of soap should it ever exit. “Sovereignty refers to God’s absolute right and power to rule—His supreme authority and unlimited ability… Providence is sovereignty in action through time and space, working through real events and genuine human choices.”2
Speaking of Jesus, Colossians 1:16-17 says, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” Our Lord holds all things together, moment by moment. Nothing is left to “chance” but is rather orchestrated with purpose by God.
More often than not, we have no idea what the purpose might be. Why did so many die in the 9/11 tragedy and a few had those twists of fate? I cannot answer that and I would be a fool to speculate.
On rare occasions, God’s plan is known and revealed. Such is the case for Joseph. He declared in Genesis 50:19-20, “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? (20) But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
“It was just meant to be” is an impersonal response to life’s situations. I choose to believe that I have a God, a Heavenly Father, that is never surprised by the events of life. He orchestrates and directs the grand symphony of life with precision. And, regardless of what happens, I can get to the end of a day and find agreement with the truth of Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
1https://www.rd.com/list/twists-of-fate-saved-peoples-lives-9-11/
2https://truthstodiefor.com/fate-vs-chance-vs-gods-providence-which-really-rules-our-lives/
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