Well, here we are on another St. Patrick's Day and I've seen from facebook that people are sharing similar sentiments from years past. I've seen lots of "kiss me, I'm Irish" and "erin go braugh". I've seen lots of people posting about heading to the parade. The most popular is the hope of crushing as many green beers as possible, sure to be followed tomorrow with posts of hangovers and regrets. And mixed throughout them all is the hope for good luck, whether you are Irish or not.
Luck is an interesting concept. We are happy when we feel random circumstance has gone our way. We tend to blame luck when things go sour. We try to invoke it to swing the odds in our direction and we avoid anything we think would attract the negative kind. Even when we deny its existence, it still peppers our speech and creeps into our holidays. In one way or another, I think we all believe in luck.
With that in mind, I though it might be interesting to look at how luck is defined. We all think we know what it means but what is its exact parameters? Let's check it out...
Luck - the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities
A force that seems to operate for good or ill...a force? Maybe that's why we all seem to connect with the concept. We all tend to believe that there is a persona that oversees the events of our lives. The question is: is it random or purposeful? And if it's personal, do we attach a name to it beyond just luck? As a pastor, it's not surprising that I attach a personality to the force the operates for good or ill in my life. The Bible teaches us clearly that God through the power of His Holy Spirit does just that. He blesses or brings correction as it benefits those who follow Him. That is certainly more encouraging than the randomness that we associate with luck.
So I encourage you on this lucky day: are you hoping for a random force to bestow great things upon you? If you praying that the negative aspect of its persona will miss you? Or are you confident in the personal relationship of the Holy Spirit, knowing He is actively working for the best in your life? I pick the Spirit and that makes me feel...dare I say it?...lucky.
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