Social Chain Letters

          I recall that in the 1940's and 1950's we had a thing called a “chain letter.” My Mother received one and after she read the letter, she began making copies of it. We didn't have a copy machine in those days, so she would write it out by hand making sure that each one was as exact as possible to the one that she had received. Postage back in those days was 3 cents for a first class letter. The letter would promise good fortune in one way or another to you if you followed the directions and sent it to ten other people. If you failed to send the letter, you would be the recipient of misfortune, or plain bad luck. Since postage these days is close or exceeding fifty cents for first class, you don't see as many chain letters as you used to see. The promise of good fortune has moved from the physical mail box to the pages of social media. Many of my friends send me videos or tear jerking stories that if I pass them on then I will receive good luck or some special blessing, If, however, I fail to send them on, then I am a jerk or a person who does not believe in the power of God. People are just as superstitious today as they were in days of the chain letter. Everyone desires good luck and everyone wants to avoid bad luck. The thing that many ignore is that there is no such thing as “luck.” Some define luck as “success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.” Philippians 4:19 says, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” 

          To believe in luck is to not believe in God's providence or His sovereignty. Nothing happens by chance either good or bad. There is a purpose to each and everything. “The Preacher” in Ecclesiastes has already pointed this out. God had everything in His control and in His hand. The Philippians had found themselves in a time of “need” due to their faithful giving to the work of the Apostle Paul. They couldn't go to the lottery as there was no lottery at that time. They couldn't look for four leaf clovers or rabbits feet in order to make ends meet but the Apostle Paul gave them assurance that God would provide all of their needs. God would not supply just some of their needs, but that God would supply ALL of their needs. We always point out the difference at this point between “needs” and “wants.” It has never said that God will supply all of our “wants.” The Philippians made it through their time of needs and so will we. It will not depend on passing on a cute story or a pithy saying. Please take no offense but social media chain letters stop at my inbox. I don't say, “amen” if I believe it and I don't pass it on nor do I give it a “like” or a “share,” and God has still blessed me beyond measure. Do I still have needs? It seems like I have needs everyday and I may not know how God is going to work in each and everyone of them, nor do I know when it is going to take place but I can rest in the assurance that it is always in God's hands and not my own and that sometime, some how, God will take care of it Why, even my final needs have already been met in my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Praise God today that He does supply each and every need that we have in His timing.