Is It Luck ?????? or God !!!!!!

In a couple of weeks, people will be celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day and with that, the idea of ‘luck’ comes to center stage as part of the observance. Traditionally, there are numerous customs associated with Saint Patrick’s Day and the ‘Luck of the Irish’ that adds to the festive nature of the holiday.
We look for a four leaf clover and then carry it carry it for good luck. People wear green for ‘good fortune’ on that day, or they seek to kiss someone who is Irish for ‘luck’. There is even the practice of cutting a cross in to the top of Irish Soda Bread before baking to let the devil out while it cooks.
Honestly, I have never been much on the concept of ‘luck’, ‘chance’, or ‘fortune’. I have been on the receiving end of losing a game because the dice or spinning wheel did not land the way I needed. None-the-less, the notion of ‘luck’, ‘chance’, or ‘fortune’ being an element at play doesn’t move me to consider them as a contributing factor. In fact, it may be a fallacy for the Christian to emphasize such a decisive force in our lives.
That’s not to say that there are random acts that occur in our lives that seem to be of a good or bad nature; however, there is always the consideration of what the will of God may be. Is this to say that God’s hand is in every single thing that happens in life? My answer is “Yes”, as it is relevant to his will. I recall the words from Matthew 5, in the latter part of verse 45 that says,
“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”
This affirms that the sun and rain is directed and ordained by God according to his will. It is not a matter of luck, fortune or chance that it happens. The very definition of ‘chance’ is defined as ‘the absence of any known cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled’. As is with luck, chance can be personified as a positive, negative or neutral factor like “The chance that he fell allowed me to win the race” or “I took my chance passing the test without studying, but I flunked” or “That it was just by chance that we met for neither one of us had planned on going to the mall that day.”
When we consider these examples, we should be assured that the Lord is a ‘known’ factor in the course of our lives. He is active in directing the things that make an impact on us. He is in control of the circumstances and elements that are taking place. Does this mean that God dictates every, little thing that happens in life? Well, the general answer is “Yes”.
Maybe we could use a little lesson in humility, so as we roll the dice in Monopoly, we fail to roll a four or greater to win. Maybe, God wants to slow us down to avoid the potential accident ahead, so the light that we hope will stay green a little longer, turns red. Perhaps, you were forced to work a little later and missed the opportunity to go out with friends that led to trouble with drugs and alcohol. In situations such as these, we most likely will never know how the hand of God played a role in the prevention and preservation of our lives; but, we should be certain that God is alive and active in it all.
Have you ever read the passage of scripture from Job 38:35 as the Lord questions Job and his friends on the workings of the universe? God asked,
“Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’”?
In fact, most of this passage of scripture tells of God’s hand at work, behind the scenes, orchestrating the events of the universe. With that, the Bible gives credence to God’s hand at work, even in matters that seem trivial and inconsequential in life.
So the next time you feel a sense of good or bad luck, know that there may be an unrevealed reason for it all. The important thing is to know that God is always in control.