‘Good Luck Charm’

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 4:1-11

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‘Good Luck’ is a phrase that we used in our everyday talk. Like good luck to you, or are you having any good luck? In my Electronic Bible I have at the office I did a study to see if the word luck was in the bible and I found out what I knew was true that the word ‘luck’ is not mention in the bible.

Most people like the idea of having "good luck," a force at work making things go well. Sometimes, though, it is "bad luck" that gets the blame for an undesirable turn in circumstances.

If it was that way than perhaps carrying a rabbit's foot would help. You do not have to look far to find examples of things people carry, things they do or don't do, or rituals they follow all in hopes of nudging luck to be good fortune.

This is what Israel tried to do in a battle with the Philistines. They took the ark of God and treated it like a good luck charm. After a defeat they decided to "'bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies'" (4:3).

At first, Israel was encouraged and the Philistines discouraged by this act. When the Philistines heard the cheering from Israel's camp they were afraid. "We're in trouble!" they said. "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods?" (vv. 7-8)

In the battle that followed, however, Israel was defeated and the ark captured. It didn't go as planned because God is not a good luck charm, something to help make things go well for us.

It was not luck that Jesus showed up in the storm when the disciples were afraid, it was not luck that God came and shut the lion’s mouth for Daniel, it was not luck that he showed up in the fire with the three Hebrew children, no it was not luck but it was the desire of God to show up.

Everything we receive or whatever God has done for us is not by chance of luck but it is the grace of God.

We hear people say it was by luck that I escape from that, no it was not luck, it was the grace of God.

No luck is not found in the bible, but grace is found on every page.

We should never regard God has a good luck charm, but as a friend who will help in time of need.