Right Day, Wrong Day Preoccupation!

Until the 07-07-07 date thing came up week before last I had forgotten how superstitious some people are. No doubt many of the marriages recorded on that day were done for the novelty of it, however, based on some of the interviews I saw on television many people were hoping this day would help their marriage to survive. They called it the perfect day, all sevens. Some said it should bring them luck. Given the 50% divorce rate there’s little wonder that people are trying to do whatever they can to beat that statistic. My nearly forty three years of the ups, downs, and near disasters associated with my marriage tells me that it is only by the grace of God , and learning to do life together His way that makes one able to enjoy this tremendous gift He gave to His human family.

The Y2K hoopla was another instance of how a date became a dominating force all over the world. The issues involving some computers and the date roll over were legitimate, but pretty much everything else was bogus. In fact, many experts tried to inform people that even our calendars were out of sync with this vast expectation of gloom that was supposed to occur at that particular time. Within the religious community the excesses were also all over the place. All kinds of number scenarios were advanced to support a variety of end time predictions. Most of these had little or nothing to do with what the Bible has to say but that did not keep many from making big bucks selling their books.

Of course last Friday was the 13th and I heard a number of people talking about needing to be careful because of what might befall them on this unlucky day. I will tell you something you can take to the bank. Many bad things happened to a huge number of people on Friday the 13th. These bad things also happened to a huge number of people on Thursday, the 12th, and on Saturday, the 14th. That’s because we live in a fallen world where bad things happen every single day to a huge number of people, now numbering, as of today, more than 6.5 billion on this sphere we call earth.

At the same time a huge number of people have good things happen to them every single day. Within theological circles some call this common grace bestowed upon all people by God. The rain does fall on the righteous and the unrighteous, on the believer and the atheist. We don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that many have become wealthy from their evil pursuits. However, every day they live brings them that much closer to their appointment at the judgment. Eternity is like forever, and that my friend is a long time.

I have known a few people in my lifetime that have lived to a certain extent by their horoscope and some have even used charts and consulted astrologists, tarot cards, and other means of making choices. Many people say they read their horoscope each day just for fun and that’s probably true, but far too many take these types of things seriously.

When I travel late at night by myself I always listen to one of those 100,000-watt radio stations that feature all kinds of Bible preachers, mystics, and other prevaricators looking to make a buck. I do not know why but this kind of programming to me is just too funny to pass up. It would not surprise me if many of these personalities have passed on a long time ago but they still play their tapes and ask for donations. Many years ago I was headed to Louisiana and it was around midnight and a lady mystic, fortune teller, and Bible teacher all rolled into one was on the air. I perked up when she announced a call coming in from the same large city where I worked. The name sounded very familiar and I immediately recognized the voice. It was one of my employees, a lady who was barely hanging on to her job. She wanted the good Sister to slap a spell or put the hurt on her mean supervisor who was giving her fits about stuff like attendance and performance. I nearly ran off the road. She was talking about ME!

I think the Sister agreed to do something to help out and then she passed on to another caller. Can you believe it? Driving down the highway in the middle of nowhere at midnight and you hear someone trying to put the voodoo spell on you! You know she could have just buckled down and did her best to meet the minimum standards and she wouldn’t have had to worry about her job. It was funny but also not so funny. I never mentioned it to her and it was only years later before I even told the story. I’m not certain but I believe she went on to retire from the company some years after I left.

Do things like certain days influence you? They should. Like the verse that tells us not to miss attending services with fellow believers each time they are scheduled. (Hebrews Chapter 10) Do you react to certain circumstances as a sign of bad luck? Do black cats and walking under ladders worry you? The God who brings the rain on the just and the unjust has said that He will never leave nor forsake one of His own. (Romans Chapter 8) We don’t have to worry about superstitions playing a role in our life. And, do you look to the stars to try and figure out your future? As a believer, you have an assured future that cannot be altered by any force whatsoever, because He is the one who holds you in His hand. Jesus said that no one can snatch or pluck one of His own out of His hand. (Just so you know, that no one includes even you!) (Gospel of John Chapter 10) I don’t know about you but that’s the kind of guarantee that makes me very glad. More later……..