LOTtery

There are times when you have 5 prizes and you have 20 people who are eligible to win. The lottery method is probably the most balanced approach in that everyone has a chance to win. Just put their names in a bowl (or hat) and pull 5 names out to determine the winners. The Lottery has become a pretty big deal here where I live. The most recent Powerball was a record pot. The odds of winning were like 1 in 292M.

When dividing the Promised Land up among the 12 tribes of Israel, they did most all of it by lot (aka Lottery). Check this out…

49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for – Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land. (Joshua 19:49-51 NIV)

I’ve seen people who’ve won big money only to squander it with poor decisions and undisciplined behavior. I’ve also seen people who were incredibly smart in handling the huge blessing of wealth. They seek wisdom and council from trusted advisors and therefore they are still wealthy and they can pass that blessing on to generations to come.

I don’t always understand the “Lot” system in scripture. It is used quite a bit and it seems to have the stamp of approval from the Lord. I believe that the Lord can orchestrate and do anything He wants. I’ve never really asked the Lord to help me win the Lottery. First off, I don’t play it. (I have chipped in a couple of bucks to an office pool.) Second, it violates a principle of getting something for nothing. I don’t want to live my life hoping to “hit it big”, when I’m really blessed “big” already!

I’ve said it before that I need to learn to play the hand I’ve been dealt. I shouldn’t wish for what someone else has or covet their possessions. I need to learn contentment and fulfillment with my position in this world. That’s not to say that I’m not working to earn more money to position myself stronger financially. I believe that work comes before success – except in the dictionary.

I want to continually ask the Lord for wisdom and discernment as I live, work and play. I want to trust Him with the outcome of my ideas. I’m not leaving them to chance when He is in the drivers seat. The outcome will be just what He wants. He gives my ideas to me in the first place – He built me, wired me and He blesses me. I’m putting my “Lot” in completely with Him.

Pressing On!

Dwayne