To Encourage You

Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

This morning I happened to be walking by a sharp object in my garage and snagged and ripped a nasty hole in my coat. It’s a coat I really like and I was upset.  As I thought more about this later, I was even more upset about how upset I got over such a little thing. Then another thought came to me. It was that I should pay attention to “the little things,” for the truth is, even “the little things” aren’t outside the vision and active involvement of God. 

One of the verses in the Bible that speaks to this is the one above from Proverbs 16.  It speaks to something that most of us likely never give much thought to at all – it’s such a little thing, the casting of dice.  We talk about the outcome of something like this as “a matter of chance.” But Solomon would have us know that it’s nothing of the sort.  The result of the casting of every lot is a decision from the Lord: every single one.  It’s an incredible thing to think about.  Nothing is really a “chance” event. There are no real coincidences.  Nothing falls outside the sight and sovereignty of our God.  Nothing, no matter how small, is so obscure, so insignificant, so inconsequential that God is uninvolved.  In fact, He is totally involved, totally engaged, totally sovereign in everything.  Jesus reinforced this truth with the following words: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).  Every sparrow, every hair on our head, every one is seen, and every number is known. None of it, no matter how small and seemingly insignificant ever occurs “apart from your Father.” 

So, back to my coat, this seemingly random happenstance that got me so upset.  What can I learn from this?  Was God in it, this little thing? Well, one thing that occurred to me is that this little happenstance was certainly a test. One of the things that I often pray about is that God would give me more patience. I can get so easily upset at such little things. It’s something I struggle with. It’s something I’d like to see change. And so, perhaps as an answer to those prayers, God allowed me to snag my coat. How would I react? How DID I react?  Not very well. I failed this test.  Nevertheless, hopefully I learned from it just a little bit.  Interestingly, later this morning I “happened” to come upon a story about the devastation of the tornadoes that hit Kentucky earlier this year. These areas are still devastated.  Entire homes and every possession in them were reduced to rubble.  How would I react to such a thing if I got so upset over a rip in my coat?  Just a news article I happened to come across as a chance event, or the equivalent of a lot cast in a lap whose every decision is from the Lord? I think it was the latter.  I think it was just one more answer to my prayers. It was a teaching moment straight from the One Who controls every atom in the universe.  There’s a lesson to be had every moment, if we would have both a prayerful attitude and open eyes to see it. 

Thank you, God, that you are intimately involved with us every moment.  Help us to open our eyes to see.