God laughed

In Joshua chapters 21 & 22, the leaders of Israel cast lots to determine who got which parcel of land.  I just smiled.  As I meditated upon this, the wheels of time seemed to roll back slowly.  It was a cool, beautiful Saturday evening.  I was in my final year in Senior High School and I could see myself sitting in the dining hall of my Senior High School with three folded pieces of paper before me.

Then, I held a leadership position with a Christian group on campus which focused mainly on evangelism.  My tenure was coming to an end and I had received another leadership position in another Christian group.  Thus, I needed to make arrangements to find a successor for the previous position.  There were three bright-eyed gentlemen on my team who I believed could easily fill the vacancy.  However, you know how it is said that appearances are deceptive (1 Samuel 16: 1 – 13).  So, I decided to fast and pray so that the Lord will Himself reveal the person to whom I should hand over.  After the period of fasting, I had no clear response.  

I remembered the prayer of Abraham’s servant by the well regarding obtaining a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24).  I could also clearly recount the story of Gideon and his fleece (Judges 6: 33 – 40).  The story of Moses and his staff that turned into a snake lucidly came to mind (Exodus 4: 1 – 3).  I cried out to the Maker of the Heavens & the Earth and said, “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord.  Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; …” – Habakkuk 3:2.  I was inspired to boldly propose to the Omnipotent God that the matter would be settled with the casting of lots.  So, I wrote down the names of these three gentlemen on three identical pieces of paper and folded them.  I said a prayer over these pieces of paper, jiggled them in my palm a bit, threw them on the table and randomly picked one.  I opened the piece of paper and thanked God for providing His servant success.

Not long after, I called the gentleman who was chosen and informed him of the good news.  He responded that he would pray about it.  Well, the King of glory had already spoken.  I was not in the least bit worried.  This gentleman returned a week later and communicated that he would not be able to take up the leadership role because of some other commitments.  I was shell-shocked, flabbergasted, lost for words, or simply dumbfounded!  The “oracle of God” had picked him and he had the audacity to decline?  How?  The “gods” must themselves have been in shock!

I am quite certain my God laughed so hard that evening.  God has a sense of humour and I observe it in many of life’s happenstances.  My faith was shaken but through this, God reminded me that He is Sovereign.  Alas, I could only humbly agree with Isaiah when he proclaimed, “Yet You, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, You are the Potter; we are all the work of Your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8

God is God.  God is King all by Himself.  God is not dependent on man; man is dependent on God.  God reveals Himself to His servants in mysterious ways.

Do forgive my bad manners, my name is Kofi Awuku-Sao and as the Good Lord wills, I will occasionally share insights with you on this journey of ours.