“…and they cast lots…” (Acts 1:26a)

“Was it luck of the draw?”

There was a vacancy. With Judas’ untimely death, there was an opening on the list of twelve men to carry on the work of Jesus Christ. As Luke tells us in Acts, chapter 1, the group had narrowed the number of viable candidates down to two. There were no straw polls; Thank goodness, there weren’t any commercials. There weren’t even any debates (that we are aware of). Once Joseph/Justis and Matthias were chosen as the front runners, they did something that maybe we today should do more of before we vote: They prayed! (verse 24) Couldn’t hurt, could it?

But then, HOW they voted was an interesting experience. Every person back in those days wore a little pouch that hung by their side that carried any number of things. It might have a few coins there just in case; but what more prominently was there in that little purse would have been a small stone. This stone would bear some kind of mark that would identify the person personally, at least with a mark that symbolized his family name. It would act as a driver’s license does today, for simple identification.

Justis and Matthias took their stone and dropped it through a small hole that had been bored into a medium sized gourd. Whoever was in charge of this had to make sure that the two stones were relatively the same size so that the odds wouldn’t be different of whose might fall out first.

After the prayers were offered, the one in charge would take the gourd and shake it. Round and round it would go – sometimes for minutes and other times for longer – until one of those stones came out. The man would pick up the stone and declare whose it was. The crowd would cheer for that would be the man who had been chosen by God. No questions asked. No two out of three or the “best of seven” series. Once and for all. The stone belonged to Matthias – therefore he was the one chosen to take Judas’ place with the twelve.

Some say it was the luck of the draw. Like the flipping of a coin, there’s a 50-50 chance that it will be heads and a 50-50 chance it could be tails. Here in this story, one might call it the “trust” of the draw. Whatever happens is the way it is and no one questions the actions taken. It was simply believed to be the work of God. No recalls; no hanging chads (remember those?) It was done once and then they were done with it. Plain and simple.

Joseph also called Justis didn’t cry foul. He didn’t complain. Probably because faith was so important to this plain process, when the announcement came, all were in agreement. Wow!

How much simpler life would be today if we could simply trust God and trust one another. I am told by folks older than me that there was a day that “your word was good.” A handshake was considered a solemn promise and there was no paper work. “A gentlemen’s agreement” would last for as long as the terms said they would.

We can trust in God’s Word. It is the truth. We can place all our faith in His message of love, mercy, and forgiveness. One of the greatest ways to see this come true is to make it happen in our own lives. Love your neighbor and give glory to God. Believe this and we can change the world and strengthen the Church in which we work! No luck, just trust: plain and simple.

Your friend in Christ,

Pastor Jim