The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. — Proverbs 16:33

Casting lots is Old Testament terminology. It was primarily used to select a person for a duty. So let's say you have 5 people who could do a potential task, but you only need one person to do it. Then one example of casting lots would be for the decision-maker to disclose a random number to a non-participant. Let's say that the random number is 47. Then you ask each of the likely participants to hold up one hand with anywhere from 1 to 5 fingers clarifying how little or much they might want to do that task. Then the leader begins counting fingers until he lands on the undisclosed number, and then that person is selected for that task. And that is what it would have looked like to cast lots. It's like the game we play with our hands like rock, paper, scissors. It could also be done with objects like colored rocks or long and short straws.

The reason to use lots to determine a person for a task would be to prevent people from playing favorites. For example, in the service of the Temple, it would have been easy for the high priest to play favorites by handing out the best tasks to his preferred priests. So priests, which there were many, were often selected by lots for specific duties.

One notable occasion on which this happened was in the New Testament in Luke 1 when Zechariah was selected by lots to enter the Temple to offer incense. At this time, there were 24 groups of priests who served on a rotation, which was a lot of priests. But on this day, there was a special task given to only one who would be allowed to enter the Temple's inner chamber to burn incense, which was a very special one-time-a-year task. They probably used a method similar to what I before mentioned, and thus Zechariah was selected to enter the Temple. And if you recall, this is how God told Zechariah that he and his wife, who were old and without children, were going to have a baby — the Prophet John (a.k.a., John the Baptist).

So the meaning of this proverb should be more evident. Let me reread it:

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

While to us, life events may seem to be ones of chance, there is something bigger at play — God. And our God is not one of chance. God makes every decision with intention and purpose. Which implies this life is not one of chance. It's one with a purpose and a plan. And the best part is this, you get to be a part of God's divine purpose and plan.

So today, I want to trust in God's purpose and plan a little more than maybe you have in the past. As you go throughout your day, notice how God is working and accept his every decision. And while there may be moments you don't like the decision he gave you, trust him. Know that God knows things that you don't know, and consider that God might have worked it out that way for your benefit.

ASK THIS: Where do you anticipate God's working today?

DO THIS: Watch him work in every decision today and rest in his plan.

PRAY THIS: God, help me to trust your plan.

PLAY THIS: Drake - God's Plan.

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