Chosen by Lot

Father, the next few days are going to be very full. May my time today be fruitful. And before it all starts rolling, I thought it best to come before you. Your servant is listening…

Luke 1:7-25 (<<click to read the passage)

Many years ago, when I was still in college, a friend of mine visited a newly opened Christian bookstore in our college community. I remember it being on the second floor and after he had perused what the owner had on display, he called out to her, “Good luck!” as he exited with the very best of intentions. Her reaction was to give him a fairly stern lecture in regards to there being no such thing as luck for those who follow the Lord.

But we have to admit that we hear that phrase and probably say it regularly. Is it wrong? How often do we attribute things to coincidence? By no means are these concepts new phenomenon for they have been around since mankind has existed.

As we read this story of Zechariah, we see even here than he was “chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.”

Was it by luck that he was in the sanctuary that day? Was it just a coincidence? Proverbs 16:33 (NLT) reads,

We may throw the dice, [ We may cast lots]
but the Lord determines how they fall.

The bookstore owner made it very clear that God and God alone would determine the fate of her newly established business. (By the way, she retired long ago but her business, though relocated into another downtown building still exists to this day some 35 years later!)

As I stress regularly to my congregations, God is an active part of our lives. We may not always realize it but we most assuredly do not walk this journey of life alone. He is with us all the way.

I am certain also that nothing, absolutely nothing, happens by chance! When we give ourselves over to Him all kinds of things cross our path and many of them – not necessarily all of them – are put there for a reason. Many of them are God-given opportunities to impact others for Him. Some things are tests for strengthening our faith.

On that day, over 2 millennia ago, Zachariah was “chosen by lot”. It was all a part of God’s master plan to bring about the salvation of all mankind. It was not chance. It was not a coincidence. It was the hand of God Almighty at work in the lives of those who willingly, deliberately gave themselves over to serve Him in every way possible.

Lord Jesus, use me! May I be alert to those supposed happenstance occurrences, that I may be used of You to impact the world for eternity and Your Kingdom! Amen!

Oct 3^rd, 2019, Thurs, 9:43 am