Impartial Answers

Divine Intervention

“And they cast lots, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.”

Acts 1:26

An interesting thing happened this morning when I attempted to post my blog. I had written a whole piece about the apostles making decisions by casting lots, essentially flipping a coin, and even told about the type of stones used for casting—striped onyx. I told about the word divination meaning “divine guidance,” and the fact that Peter prayed before he cast the lots. It was a tight little piece based on today's lectionary reading—you might have liked it. Except for the fact that when I copied it to post, I accidentally hit “cut” instead of “copy” and deleted the entire thing!

Instead, I took Liza for a walk, and thought about what had just happened. Divination, which has been around for as long as humans have walked on Earth, is still done today to see who goes first, or who wins the toss. Typically we use a coin or dice. We need to impartially choose some things, and casting lots a good way to do it. But underneath the action of casting, there must be trust—trust that the right thing will happen, trust that things happen for a reason, trust that if you ask, you will be answered. Peter prayed, “Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen.” And then he cast the stones knowing that what he asked for would be given.

This morning, you might have had a piece about casting lots and the long history of divination; instead, when I cast the computer lot, it came up empty. So you get a piece about trust. Ask, trust, cast, and follow divine guidance. Simple as that!

                                                                       In the Spirit,

                                                                            Jane