CROSSED FINGERS OR CONFIDENT FAITH? (LIVING BY LUCK OF THE DRAW OR HOPE IN GOD)

We live with our fingers uncrossed, in the shadow of the Cross, realizing the covenantal certainty of everything our Lord and Savior died and rose to guarantee in our Heavenly Father’s plans for us.

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I was watching a movie on Netflix, and in the previewing banners of those responsible for the production of the movie, one in particular grabbed my attention. It was of the UK Film Council, and in the lower right, it had an inset picturing a hand with crossed fingers and reading “Awarding funds from The National Lottery”.

On seeing that picture, I was struck by a jolting reminder of a dominant philosophy, which that little picture represents for millions of people - a philosophy driving the success of lotteries, as well as the life-shaping decisions of multitudes worldwide. Rather than a sticker of the fish symbol, or the Cross (or any other religious symbol), they could put a sticker of that crossed-finger hand on their bumper to represent the philosophy they live by every day: the luck of the draw.

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I hope today’s my lucky day and that I’m luckier tomorrow. They wake up, eat breakfast, lunch & dinner, shower, brush their teeth, and go to bed with their fingers crossed every day. They always have their fingers crossed for their big break, whether with a relationship, a job, or a lottery. They keep their fingers crossed for those special ones to say “yes” - for the big raise or promotion - for the test results to come back clear - for the next raffle or Powerball numbers to be theirs - for the next plane, train, and automobile trip to be safe. With their fingers crossed, they can only hope that the cards, odds & “gods” are stacked while the stars are all aligned in their favor - that the winds of chance are blowing and spinning the wheel of fortune in their direction - that it will all work out…if they are lucky.

With all the hopes they have, they don’t realize how that is such a hopeless way to live - and an unnecessary way to live. We children of God have a better way to live.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) While they live with crossed fingers, we live with confident faith. We don’t live by maybe’s and could-be’s, but only what will be in the providence of God. We live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28) with hope in our God, rather than in the luck of the draw. We live with our fingers uncrossed, in the shadow of the Cross, realizing the covenantal certainty of everything our Lord and Savior died and rose to guarantee in our Heavenly Father’s plans for us. He has left nothing to “chance”. We live in secure assurance as those who know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 NASB) For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:29–30)

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
(“In Christ Alone” by Stuart Townend & Keith Getty, ©2001)

Image credit: auremar / 123RF Stock Photo