Try your luck with God

I love board games. For me a good board game has a good balance of luck and decision.  Some games like Chess involve much human decision, while other games like Bingo involve no human decision. I don’t like bingo as I feel like I have no control.

On researching cleromancy, the casting of lots to determine the will of the gods, I realised that a some of the games I currently enjoy (Knuckles, dice, and “odds and evens”) were originally used to find divine direction.  The random nature of the decision took it out of human hands.  Even ancient Israel believed that the Gods will could be revealed by lots!

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord (Prov 16:33)

But Is God really in control of random events? Can we trust our future to a random event?  Surely the modern Christian has come a long way from such primitive thinking?!

Ancient Christians and Jews believed that God was sovereign and that nothing was outside of his control.  So casting lots was a way of determining God’s will if the Word of God and prayerful communal wisdom gave no answer. A classic example is seen in choosing a replacement for Judas by the apostles (Acts 1:15-25).  Also the books of Ruth and Esther are classic examples of our God working through random events.

The ancients are right and moderns are wrong. Nothing is an accident. God is always in control.  Live and rest in these truths.  The only control we have is self control. Even then we need his Spirit.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Denis Oliver