Theophobia vs. Triskadekaphobia

This will be the last Friday the 13th before Rob and Ayla's wedding. It's supposed to be an unlucky day, but I've not really seen it. Your Uncle Todd was even born on a Friday the 13th (1963), and he's been a pretty blessed fellow.

Now we're not ones for luck - good or bad. We believe the Father is in control of everything. The Bible tells us in Psalm 115:3, "Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases." Isaiah 45:7 says, "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things," and in Proverbs 16:9, "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."  In Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose," and in Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." It is comforting to rest in the arms of the Creator of the universe and know that He has it all under control. There is nothing that will happen that He is not aware of. Nothing surprises Him. And the evil that man creates, God uses for His good. Glory to Him.

One of my first favorite contemporary Christian songs is called God Is In Control by Twila Paris. The first verse and chorus say this:

This is no time for fear
This is the time for faith and determination
Don't lose the vision here carried away by the motion
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart
There is one thing that has always been true
It holds the world together
God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken
God is in control
We will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
Oh, God is in control, oh God is in control

Walking under ladders. A black cat crossing in front of you. Opening an umbrella indoors. Spilling salt. These things cannot harm you. Our fate is in the hands of the One who created time itself. So skip any triskadekaphobia and instead embrace theophobia. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," Psalm 111:10. It's not being afraid of God but more of a reverence of Him. As it says in Psalm 33:8 "Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." And that is something we don't need a special day or date for. We can do that every single day.

Discussion: Do you think there is anything that brings bad luck or good luck? What do you think the fear of the Lord is?

Prayer: Father God, we thank you that you are so awesome, loving, compassionate and in control of our lives. Help us to surrender all that we are to what You want us to be. We love you so very much. Glory to you. In Jesus name, Amen.