Acts 1:26 (NIV)
“And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”
Ever feel like sometimes it’s just dumb luck that gets you where you are in life? Born into this family. Born in this or that country. Born on that side of the tracks. All of that is totally outside of our control. So much of life really is. We can set our feet to walk in a direction – but we have no guarantee we’ll end up where we think. We’re in a fallen world so we do our best and hope for the best – right?
I think there is a lot more to it than that. The Sovereignty of God is too big of a topic for my feeble brain… but I believe it. I believe He has a specific plan for each of us. I believe somehow, our individual paths form into His overall plan and will for His Kingdom. I think that is confirmed throughout scripture. In the Old Testament, when Samson’s desires were leading him toward a Philistine woman and his parents were protesting, it says that it was “of The Lord” and that The Lord was going to use that against the Philistines. In Proverbs it talks about how our hearts plan our ways but God directs our steps. And here… a simple roll of the dice puts Matthias in with the apostles.
I want to be careful here, because God’s sovereignty NEVER gives us license to sin. Paul talks about our need to avoid sin in Romans 6. God’s grace can cover us when we mess up… but we don’t want to presume upon that and we certainly don’t want to have to suffer the very real consequences of sin. So I don’t ever want to consistently or purposefully CHOOSE the wrong thing. That being said, I remember Romans 8:28 and believe that somehow God’s sovereignty reigns. He is Sovereign because He is God. I don’t understand the “how” that works all of that out… but I believe it.
I don’t believe in chance. I believe that nothing touches our lives without Almighty God giving permission. I believe that the simplest things can impact our lives in huge ways. I believe a traffic light turning red or an alarm clock that doesn’t sound can potentially save my life. I believe so many things that we consider “a roll of the dice” are actually from God… maybe giving blessings, maybe pressing us to grow and overcome, but ultimately guiding us on the specific path He has for us. Does he care whether I wear brown or blue pants today? Probably not. But I believe He wants us to represent Him well, and I don’t want to do anything to cause a detour. I want to follow as closely as I can, knowing that I can trust His sovereign will for me in this life.
So I follow the example given here. I pray and ask The Lord for guidance and trust Him for the answer and the outcome. As I look back over many things in my life, I realize God has been sovereign over it all. His plans and His purposes for me are coming about. I trust His direction. I trust His ability to use my personality and preferences to move me where I need to be. I trust Him enough to obey. Ultimately, I trust Him and His sovereignty over it all.