Meant to Happen

This morning, I was thinking about a certain scene from the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. It is when the fellowship is in Moria; they are sitting about in a passageway while Gandalf considers which way to turn. Frodo sees eyes in the darkness; startled, he runs to Gandalf and tells him someone is following them.

Gandalf: It's Gollum... Frodo: Gollum!? Gandalf: He's been following us for three days... Frodo: He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dûr? Gandalf: Escaped, or was set loose. He hates and loves the Ring, just as he hates and loves himself. He will never be rid of his need for it... Frodo: Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance! Gandalf: Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or evil, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many. Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened... Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought...

I like this scene, because I see in it God's sovereignty in our world. It reminds me how God uses all circumstances - good and bad - to bring about His will for us and for the world. Though we often cannot see His reasoning, we know we can trust Him. One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 8:28 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Such a wonderful promise to those who believe in God and trust Him for their salvation! And though they are completely disconnected, this scene from the Fellowship of the Ring reminds me of it.