16 Aug, 2010

What's Luck Got to Do with It?

Boy, 13, Struck by Lightning at 13:13 on Friday 13th

 LONDON (Aug. 15) -- Friday the 13th proved especially unlucky for one 13-year-old British boy, who was struck by lightning at exactly 13:13 on the much-feared date.

The teenager was among a crowd of 170,000 people watching an aeronautical display at the Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival in the east of England when he was zapped by a bolt from the sky, reported The Mirror. He suffered minor burns and is expected to make a full recovery.

Click here for the full article from aolnews.com.

Image courtesy of http://news.google.com.

Matthew 5:2-12
The Beatitudes
 2And [Jesus] he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 4"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

 5"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

 6"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

 7"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

 8"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

 9"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about bad luck?

Wow!  What were the odds of that boy getting struck by lightning?  According to the National Weather Service here in the U.S., the odds of getting struck by lighing in a given year is 1/750,000.  Many websites reported this weekend, how "unlucky" that young man was, and how  "lucky" he is to have survived. 

But what does God's Story have to say about luck?  Nothing!  A quick search for "luck" in the Bible, searching multiple translations, led to "0 results" every time.  Why?  Because luck has nothing to do with how God operates!  God operates much more in terms of "blessings," as we see in today's scripture.

How can I connect today's God's Story scripture to my life?

  • Thank God for the many blessings you have experienced in your life.
  • Make an effort this week to avoid the word "luck" in your conversations.
  • Read Matthew 5:2-12 every day this week.  If you haven't already, make an effort to memorize these verses.

How can I connect Today's Story, My Story, and God's Story to others?

  • Ask some friends if they heard about Today's Story over the weekend. 
  • Start a conversation about "good luck" and "bad luck" with some friends to get a little deeper into their stories.
  • Be ready to share your thoughts on God's blessings in your life.
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The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

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