“We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall.” Proverbs 16:33 NLT
I have a lot of dice. That picture above is my current dice hoard. Since I design games, I just keep building my collection so I always have whatever dice I need for the game I want to create. And I not only collect these dice, I study them. Give me any combination of dice, and I can tell you the highest and lowest possible totals you could roll with them, the most likely totals, as well as how likely any of those totals are to show up. Knowing how probability works is a key part of game design. However, that study assumes one thing: that the fall of the dice is truly random. And that’s just not so.
You see, our God is all-knowing and all-powerful. That means not the smallest subatomic particle moves without His say-so. His desire for order and law means that He makes nature subject to our choices and actions, but only to the degree that He tells it to. And that means that when the die lands, it comes up on whatever result He ordains for it.
I’ve been thinking about this in regards to an opportunity I’ve applied for, an amazing opportunity I strongly desire and that seems to further my perception of God’s plan for my life. I’ve already done everything I can do on my end. I just have to wait and pray. The gamer side of me is tempted to figure out the probability that I’ll be accepted to the program. With some research and educated guesswork I could estimate the size of the applicant pool, figure out how many applicants are being selected, plug in some guesses as to what percentage of prospects are more fit for this program than I am, and get a reasonable guess as to how likely I am to be accepted. But the thing is, none of that matters because it’s in God’s hands. He has a plan for my life, and He decided before the creation of the universe everything that would happen, including whether or not I would be accepted to this program. There’s no probability involved, because God holds my destiny in His hands. And so even though I’m unsure about the outcome, I have no cause to worry because there will be nothing random about the result. And I’m 100% certain about that.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that nothing escapes Your notice. No matter what happens, You are working all the choices we humans make to Your Glory and the good of those who love You and are called by Your name.
~ Cameron Miller, writer and photographer
