Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, June 1, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I find it interesting that the church has so long condemned various forms of conjuring or divining, including the casting of lots. The truth is that it’s used all over the Bible to divine God’s will in a given situation. (Of course, Leviticus also strictly forbids the practice. Who says the Bible isn’t inconsistent? Not this theologian!)
Mind you, I’m not advocating casting lots the next time you’re faced with a tough decision and need God’s input. While I don’t consider the practice to be witchcraft by any means, I do believe it is entirely random chance and has absolutely nothing to do with God’s will. But sometimes we just want answers and we want them now. I can’t count the number of times in my life when I was faced with a decision and was paralyzed simply because there was no guaranteed outcome either way.
That’s life, isn’t it? Messy, inscrutable, unpredictable. And that’s exactly why we need God’s guidance through all of it, good and bad, up and down. But how are we to discern that guidance if not through casting lots or ouija boards or psychics? One word:
Community.
We are, each of us, a beloved child of God, a precious and holy member of God’s family, and surrounded by others in all areas of our lives who can provide us with guidance. If the first disciples believed God could speak through inanimate objects tossed on the ground, then surely we can get behind the idea that God speaks through our pastors, our mentors, our friends, our therapists, our medical professionals, our teachers, and more. Why is it so hard for so many of us to ask for help when it is through just these folks that God reaches out and gives us the loving wisdom we need to move forward.
The bad new is there are still no guarantees in life. But so far, God—through the amazing people in my life—hasn’t let me down yet.
How do I discern what God’s will is for my life?
