divine intervention

noun

plural divine interventions

: an act or action of a divine power that alters the course of events for a reason or purpose that may be or remain incomprehensible to those affected by it

You can call it luck. Or blessed. Or God's divine intervention. I'm not smart enough to understand half of the stuff that makes up life as we know it.

—Kesley Colbert

There's nothing wrong with invoking divine intervention to help us through the water crisis. But while awaiting divine intervention we must also take steps to help ourselves.

—Lyle V. Harris

The light coming in from a window falls on his blotting paper in such a way that he decides it's divine intervention and he's being told to leave his employment and become a painter. 'I have to do it,' he explains. … 'It's what God wants me to do.'

—Deborah Ross

(figurative) Absent divine intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court, the 83-year-old … will turn himself in Monday to begin a 7½-year federal prison term.

—Jim Dey

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined above