God in the patterns

Nature teaches us that God loves and uses patterns. We all admire the pattern of seeds in a sunflower or the spiral of seeds in pine cones or some flowers. The Fibonacci sequence is an oft repeated, God created, pattern. Close to that is the Golden Ratio, the sequence of branches on trees, the curl and beauty of seashells. Fractals are patterns that look similar but vary, like snowflakes.

Galaxies, flower seeds and many other wonders show us God’s use of his logarithmic pattern, where the spiral gets wider as it moves outward. Our bodies show us Bilateral symmetry, we have ears, eyes and appendages that mirror each other along a divided plane.
And that is only to name a few.

God also shows us patterns to catch our intellect and show us miracles.

Two pattern miracles that have delighted me in the last weeks are worth sharing. I hope this helps to set a precedent for the way I see this.

At the church free literature stand, I picked up a small book with a beautiful cover. I’m visual, the picture attracted me. A placed it by my favorite chair and quickly other books were placed on top. Remembering it a few days later, I dug it out. I opened it, could not seem to engage with it. I immediately thought, “I’ll take this back Sunday.”
Before Sunday came, I opened it again, thinking I would give it another try but met with the same decision. It felt like reading Greek. I determined to take it back.
Sunday came and it wasn’t until I saw the stand I had taken it from that I realized I had forgotten it.

I forgot the second week too.

Knowing that God is in details, I knew there was a pattern I was not seeing; I thought it might mean I needed to give it another try.

I did.

I failed. It held no attraction. “I’ll take it Sunday. Someone else might like it.”

Three times I forgot.

In between first picking it up and yesterday, I read and studied many other things. Then I picked it up again, realizing God could have a reason, because I seldom forget returning things. I picked it up again. and was astounded at the truths that were verified in what I previously read in other books. It was as though the new truths were lighting up and lifting off the page. Insights were so fast and furious I was astounded at how often I had to stop and marvel at the idea that with Divine perfection, the miraculous timing of reading the book, after reading other things, and using my distraction to forget it, His pattern of omnipotence (unlimited power) and omnipresence (constant encounter) in my life allowed that pattern to manifest.
Another miracle pattern emerged. I wrestled with a spiritual question for years. I prayed for understanding consistently. Overtime I came to think the answer was a mystery of faith. “Accept. It’s not mine to question.”

On Sunday the reading from the Gospel addressed the topic. With the clarity of a lightning bolt, I got the answer from the same passage I’ve read and heard many times. I was awestruck.
When I got home, I opened my Bible to read that passage again and marvel at the miracle of my question answered. I smiled at the question marks I had placed by the text and then underlined in another color at another time.

I picked up another book later in the day and there was the answer I had divined in church. I know God wanted the Holy Counselor to give me that knowledge. That it came from Him, through Him, to me. Later that day, watching a YouTube video a friend sent me, there it was again. If I didn’t have foreknowledge, I may have missed that reference entirely. If I got the answer from a book or a video, I might have given credit to the human creators for facilitating insight for me. But clear as a loud gong, I heard the answer coming from within at church. There was no way I could deny that “Eureka” moment as anything but a miracle. And the miraculous pattern that emerged.

Miracles heal the sick and bring about a huge, delightful change. But God speaking to me for understanding brings healing too, acceptance, peace, joy and best of all, increased faith.

I do not know a word for these miraculous patterns. But I know the joy in my heart and increased faith when I recognize them.
If you experience miracles in patterns, please write them in the comments. I love reading how other people have had the same gifting. Maybe we can forge a word for them.