My Lucky Star is Shining!!!

Mike and I had lunch at a local Chinese restaurant and, as usual, cracked open our fortune cookies as we finished our meal. We have both whined over the way fortune cookies have changed over the years. Nowadays they offer advice or present a watered-down proverb. But that day was different! Something about the future! A real fortune!  Are you ready for this?

“Remember three months from this date! Your lucky star is shining.”

***WOW***

I have a friend who will not touch a fortune cookie. Another friend appends the same phrase to the end of every fortune cookie saying to make it funny. It is all fun and games; no one really takes fortune cookies seriously. Right?

That is not entirely true, is it? Some people are sure that the fortune cookie they receive is not a coincidence but a specific message destined for them. (And just who is it that is in charge of destiny???)

Can we take a look at my wonderful stroke of luck destiny?

I received my fortune cookie on August 12th. Upon reading it Mike laughed, “From what I know about stars, that star has been shining for a long time!” He’s right. The closest star to our solar system is ‘Proxima Centauri’ at 4.25 light years from the Sun. That simply means that the light from my ‘lucky star’ took over four years to reach the earth. So, in reality, my ‘lucky star’ was already shining…on August 12th.

So, when I look back at my fantastic fortune, I have no clue what it really means. What does the ‘three months’ have to do with anything. And just what is a lucky star? How do I locate mine? Do I have to see it for it to be lucky? Is it the star that is lucky or does it somehow bring me luck? If it brings me luck...how? Why now?

Many people wish they could stand on the edge of today and take a peek into tomorrow. They would make better decisions if they knew what would happen tomorrow. Right?

For example, if I know it will rain tomorrow, I can prepare better. Then again, I could always carry my umbrella and be prepared every day. But who wants to end up carrying an umbrella on a sunny day? (*tsk*) Do we really need to know about tomorrow???

He who watches the wind will not sow

and he who looks at the clouds will not reap.

                                             —Ecclesiastes 11:4

Fortune cookies, dream interpretations, crystal balls, horoscopes, the Chinese calendar (I’m a dog), lucky charms, lucky rabbit’s feet (foots?), and on and on it goes. None of these are from God; none give real insight into tomorrow.

God was furious with ancient Israel for ignoring Him when they needed insight. Looking for tomorrows answers in the cookies, crystals and calendars of their day led to idolatry. God was not throwing a fit because He was being left out; he had true insight, real answers. He offered stability in life and future hope (expectation). Israel looked to empty idols.

The question is not whether we can figure out what will happen tomorrow or what the statistical probabilities are. Rather…

Will we turn to God when problems arise?

Will we patiently wait for His answer?

Will we follow His revealed word faithfully?

Finally, brethren, whatever is true…

dwell on these things.

                                    —Philippians 4:8

Do not waste precious time and energy on life’s uncertainties and wishful thinking; think about things that you know to be TRUE.