Did you play the lottery in this historic $900 million drawing? We sure did. It was fun to sit with my husband and pick some numbers to enter into the drawing. As we drew numbers between us, I was wondering how many times the Bible mentioned the casting of lots. I was struck by how this lottery craze might resemble the casting of lots.
As we stood in line, I could recall that the Roman soldiers cast lots to determine who would get the clothes of Jesus, the Apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas among the 12 Apostles, and that Proverbs mentioned that the Lord determines how the lots fall. I began to wonder if playing the lottery was a bit like casting lots.
Someone is going to win the lottery and lives will change. In a couple of hours, the numbers will be drawn … the lot will be cast… and I believe the Lord will determine who wins.
“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”~Proverbs 16:33
The picture above depicts “lots.” I learned the ancient Israelites used sheep knuckle bones or sticks to “cast lots.” I also learned the casting of lots was used to determine several different things. Many times in the Bible, casting lots would change lives: property division, who would serve and how, who would get tossed into the sea, etc. Lots also were cast when there was a “tie” or to settle disputes.
You can learn more about the casting of lots by going to www.Biblegateway.com and doing word searches for “casting lots” or “lot.”
After looking at all of this, Proverbs 16:33 still sticks out the most to me: God is in control. God will decide. Every decision is from the Lord. Whoever wins the unimaginable sum of money in the lottery drawing tonight, you can be sure that the Lord had His mighty hand in it.
The Lord will decide who wins the lottery. That person’s life will be changed because of God. Not because of some lucky numbers or superstitions. But because God made it so.
My prayer is that this historic lottery, and the person who wins, will draw people to the Lord. My hope is the Lord will use this lottery to draw more people to Jesus. I pray the person who wins tonight will bring glory to God, and that this huge sum of money will allow lives to be changed for Christ.
If YOU win the lottery tonight, how would you use the money to serve Jesus?
- Let me start! It is so hard to know where I would begin, but I think I would start by considering how I could help “the least of these.” I would consider how I could help the widows and the orphans first.