Friday the 13th

 It is Friday the 13th! You know what that means...don't you? Back in March, we had a Friday the 13th, and right after that, things fell apart in our nation and throughout the world. So maybe there is something to this idea that Friday the 13th is unlucky. The virus got going. Most of the nation was shut down. Churches were closed. It was like something out of the Twilight Zone. Then it only got worse. Over the last 8 months, it has been crazy. Who would have thought that things would have gone like they have.

So now we are facing another Friday the 13th. Should we be afraid? Should we hide from this day and wonder how bad it will get? Short answer? No. There is no difference between a Friday the 13th and a Friday the 14th. There is no difference between Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 20th. Each day is just another day. 

And on each day, the Lord is still in control. Happenstance, luck, bad luck, or whatever do not control our destiny. They do not control the future. The Lord holds each day in His hand. He is there when things go well and He is there when things go bad. He is there in good times and in bad times. 

But pastor, why do bad things happen if God is in control? Because we live in a fallen world, with fallen people and fallen nature. People do not do what is right. They chose to do wrong. They chose to hurt others. They chose to do things according to their own sinful desires. And because of that, terrible things happen in this world. The person decides to drink too much, get behind the wheel and kills a family that were heading home. Terrible. Yet, we know the Lord was there as well. Oh, how difficult that is in our thinking. If God is there, why did He allow that to happen? Why did He not stop it? I cannot answer that question. But I know that He promises that He is with us each day. He did not put that person drunk behind the wheel. The person chose to do it. And destroyed a lot of lives. Sin causes that. 

So stop thinking that Friday the 13th is bad luck for us. Today is a day that is still in the Lord's hand. Will you have a good day? Will you have a bad day? I don't know. But I know that you can trust that the Lord is with you. He will watch over you. Trust in Him. Look to Him for guidance in making decisions on what to do. And if you are tempted to sin, turn to the Lord and ask Him to help you through that temptation. 

So do you walk under the ladder? I wouldn't. Why? Because if someone is up there, they could drop something on my head. Bad luck? No. Bad choice on my part. Walk around the ladder. Will the black cat cause you bad luck if it crosses your path? Nope. Not at all. The fact is, the black cat is just a black cat and no different from the tabby cat. 

So live today in the joy of the Lord. Be wise in what you do. Celebrate the wonder of this day. Enjoy this day. Make the most of it.