Thursday, June 4, 2009

Are You Feeling Lucky?


The following ads are reported to have been taken from actual newspapers:

1) Free puppies: ½ cocker spaniel, ½ sneaky neighbor dog

2) Snow blower for sale ... only used on snowy days

3) For sale: an antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.

4) 2 wire mesh butchering gloves: 1 five-finger, 1 three-finger, pair $15

5) Lost: small apricot poodle. Reward. Neutered. Like one of the family.

6) Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children

7) Nordic Track $300. Hardly used. Call Chubbie.

8) Found: Dirty white dog. Looks like rat. Been out awhile. Better be reward.

9) Hummels -- largest selection ever. "If it's in stock, we have it!"

10) Georgia Peaches, California grown -- 89 cents/lb.

11) Nice parachute: never opened -- used once, slightly stained

12) Tired of working for only $9.75 per hour? We offer profit sharing and flexible hours. Starting pay -- $7-9 per hour

13) For sale by owner -- complete set of Encyclopedia Brittanica. 45 volumes. Excellent condition. $1,000 obo. No longer needed. Got married last weekend. Wife knows everything.

14) LOST: One-eyed, three-legged male dog. Answers to the name "Lucky."

I'm going to share with you one of my "pet peeves." I don't like the word "lucky." And, no, it has nothing to do with the ad above. I enjoy many good things in life. I have a lot of wonderful things happen to me. And there are times that I am tempted to say, "You know, I've been pretty lucky." But then I recall that my good fortune is due not to luck or happenchance, but to the hand of Almighty God. I'm not lucky; I'm blessed! God has richly provided for me in ways far beyond what I expect or deserve.

Can you picture Esther saying, "Wasn't it lucky that the king was willing to hear my plea?"? Can you picture Paul saying, "Wasn't it lucky that we weren't killed in that shipwreck?"? Can you picture Daniel saying, "Wasn't it lucky that the lions didn't eat me?"?

Then why would I dare speak of how "lucky" I've been in my life? It's not luck -- it's the providential care of a loving God!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights....." (James 1:17). Thank you, Father, for blessing my life so richly!

6 comments:

  1. I am 100% in agreement with that..I do not believe in luck...when something good happens it is a Blessing from God and when something bad happens we can expect a Blessing to come from that in some manner or some day...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you wholeheartedly...the word "lucky" should not be in a Christian's vocabulary I think. The word Providential is more appropriate, God leaves nothing to "Luck" or to happenstance.
    "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, that are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.

    Another Anonymous

    ReplyDelete
  3. I totally agree that Christians are not "lucky", but rather are "blessed" and have tried to make sure in my conversations with others that they know "I feel blessed". I am also apprehensive about the word, "fortune" which you refer to in your explanation about not being "lucky". Do Christians believe in "fortune" or "being fortunate"? The dictionary explains "fortune" as chance or luck. I hear men pray publically, "be with those who are less fortunate"....so are they praying for those who are less lucky or have less chance of being blessed? It is foreign to me as a child of God.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I learned long ago that "luck" had nothing to do with it. I started saying "fortunate" or "blessed" because I was blessed with the good fortunes He has chosen to bestow upon me. Your words are a gift to all that read them and He has chosen a wonderful vehicle in you. God bless you and thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Alan, I appreciate you and your emails, I have learned from each one. I will be in Hope Mills in a few days and will try to attend church service as I did last year. Glenn Whitman, Gravette AR.

    ReplyDelete