Just My Luck?

Dear Diary,

Yesterday, a store assistant remarked that Christians don’t believe in the word “luck” and will cringe or roll their eyeballs when someone says that. I was a little puzzled. I don’t think I will cringe when someone says he or she is lucky. After all, if the word “luck” is replaced with “fortunate”, I doubt anyone will ever be critical about it. Unfortunately, the word “luck” has longed be associated with lottery, gambling and in certain sense, has a connotation of paganism, astrology, self-centredness and the rejection of the sovereignty of God in one’s life. Check any dictionary and the word “luck” basically means “a chance happening of fortunate or adverse events”. However, is there ever such a thing as chance happening? Surely there is…. at least, in the human’s dimension, mind and comprehension! Haha… =)

In one of the most scrutinised Christian theological doctrine is the probably the concept of predestination and free will. In our human perception, we will never be able to comprehend how we can make decisions freely when God has already foreseen and predestined it to happen. After all, isn’t the concept of “making decisions” about being in a situation where there is uncertainty? If there is “certainty”, what decision can one make? Similarly, how can there be a “chance happening” or “luck” if it is destined to happen in that way? At least, in my “human” understanding… I will draw the analogy of a person on the top of a cliff and looking down into the river below. He sees where the river leads to but the canoeist in that river cannot see the destination. The canoeist struggles to keep control and manoeuvres down the rapids, making decisions along the way… the end point will just be what the guy on the cliff sees from afar.

If we are ever guilty of arrogance, the idea that we can attempt to understand the mind of God must be the greatest of arrogance. Surely we cannot. We are like the canoeist! How can one God be of three persons? The Holy Trinity? Surely… if we can accept the concept of the triple point of water at 273.16K (0.01 degree Celsius) and 1 atmospheric pressure where water as a substance exists in all three states (gas, solid and liquid)! These may not be the best of analogies but hopefully we get the picture.

Now… why the bleak view of “luck”? Unfortunately, “luck” has so often be associated with impetuous actions and irresponsibility. Attributing one’s success to “Luck”, makes one much less thankful to himself, those around him and God. I remembered that when I received my second month paycheque, it was a huge sum! I went… woah… surely, they can’t be giving me more than $1K of pay increment after just working for 1 month, can they? Some people told me to just keep quiet and pocket that money. They said, “It’s your luck! You should keep it.” I chose to return the money. There is a moral obligation to God.

Last night, I was hopping around the living room in muted ecstasy (the rest of my family members were asleep, haha) as Miroslav Klose powered a header into the Argentinian goalmouth with ten minutes left before fulltime for an equaliser. It was dramatic and the Polish-born German striker made the sign of the cross in celebration. Earlier, Argentinian players made the sign of the cross when they scored the opening goal. Now, which team’s prayer is God going to answer? It was destined that Germany would win on penalty shootout last night. That does not mean God did not hear the Argentinian players’ prayers! It is just that the rewards of faithfulness do not necessarily come in this lifetime. After all, an atheist may work hard and achieve financial success. God is fair to everyone. If being a Christian means comfort and unending blessings, then I am not sure if I saw that in the life of sinless Jesus Christ. He had to die terribly for sins he never committed.

If all are predestined anyway, can we just go the other extreme and be apathetic? Why evangelise when a person is predestined whether he or she will know God? That is when we must examine the GREAT commandment of God which is to “Love God with all your heart, mind and soul. Also love your neighbour as yourself.” If we love those around us, we will surely carry out the GREAT commission in sharing the gospel (the good news of Christ). Whether the person you love will ever accept God, the fact you love him or her… you will not give up on sharing the joy and the truth. Whether we will know God eventually, God came down to die for us. That is agape love.

These days, I am pretty used to leaving my workplace late. At 9.30pm, I step out of my pharmacy exhausted. The sky is expectedly dark. Lethargy is evident. However, when I remember that I am someone whom God loves and redeems with His blood…. I can’t help smiling. Though I may sometimes think what an insignificant role I play in the society at large… I know that if I carry the light of God, I can change and touch the lives of those few whom I come into contact with. We all can! =)

Leaving it to luck? Nah… I will trust God… hope you will too! How “lucky” am I to know God! Hahaha…

God Bless,

Andrew