No Random Shake of the Dice, and How the Lot Falls

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Proverbs  16:33

Lots are the old-time equivalent for dice, I gather. And Scripture says God decides how the dice land.

In other words, Romans 8:28.

God works all things- good things and bad things, painful and sinful things, even seemingly random things like rolls of the dice- out for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

By God our lot is cast.

In a sermon on Psalm 16, John Piper explains that when

[T]he dice are rolled, and the straws are drawn, and the wheel is turned — whatever happens to us comes from the hand of God. God holds my lot. God decides it. The Lord rules over it. God is my sovereign, and I am glad to have it so. I don’t just affirm it stoically; I exult in it.

That’s what I heard in the morning. That nothing that happens is random. So, I affirmed it in the afternoon- dare I say, exulted in it even – when on a 95° day in May, our AC conked out with friends soon on the way.

God shook those dice.

The friends still came. And on the eve of Memorial Day we sat around the table after rhubarb pie with box fans blowing and sang God Of Our Fathers. (Yes- with trumpet fanfare, care of son in 7th grade band.)

Then, right there- out of the blue, smack in the middle of verse two – was another line about how our lot is cast.

Thy love divine hath led us in the past,

In this free land by Thee our lot is cast;

Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,

Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.

I’m dense and miss things, but even I couldn’t miss that: God holds our lot. How the dice land is from Him.

If God be for us, our lot is with God. The dice always land for our good.

All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Psalm 25:10