Do You Feel Lucky?

Do you feel lucky?  Well, do ya…punk?  Sorry, couldn’t help myself.  That’s such an iconic line from Dirty Harry.  But to answer the question…yes!  Yes, I do feel lucky.  You see, I played a game of Yahtzee yesterday.  You know, the dice game?  If you don’t know it, check it out.  It’s a pretty fun family game that’s been around forever.  Anyway, my wife and I were playing and if you know anything about Yahtzee, you know that most of the time you are forced to take a big fat zero in the Yahtzee box.  Sorry, no 50 points for you.  And to rub salt into the wound, the score card would always taunt me with the section for listing up to three more Yahtzee’s, each worth 100 points.  For me, that space was always blank.  I think I can safely say that in the 40 plus years I have played Yahtzee, I have never gotten more than two Yahtzee’s, and rarely even get one. Sorry, for those of you who don’t know the game (who are you??) a Yahtzee is when you take the five dice and roll all of the same number – like, five 2’s, or five 6’s, etc.  You are given three rolls to achieve a Yahtzee.  

So, back to the recent game with my wife.  We start playing, and early into the game she rolls not one but TWO Yahtzee’s.  Well, of course I know I’ve lost the game, even if I get the top bonus and one Yahtzee, it would be a reach to think I could win.  Still, we keep playing.  I’m not doing too bad.  I get my Small and Large Straight, my Full House and then, yes, I roll a Yahtzee!  Still, she is one up on me with a 100 extra points in her pocket.  And on my next turn, yes, then, (queue the violin strings), I roll a second Yahtzee, and I think, hey, we have an even game now.  We keep playing and I get my top bonus, too.  And then, yes, then, I roll not one but TWO MORE Yahtzee’s!  I stare at my score sheet.  I can’t believe it.  For the first time in my life, I placed an X in all three Yahtzee bonus squares!  Amazing.  Four Yahtzee’s in one game! For a moment I considered taking this score card and framing it.  My wife graciously applauds my win.  Over 500 points!  Usually, I am somewhere in the 200-point range at the end of my game. 

Truly a lucky, lucky day for an old Yahtzee game player such as myself.  It’s a good feeling.

So, I ask you again, do you feel lucky?  Honestly, I wasn’t feeling lucky that day, just amazed.  What does luck feel like anyway?  Maybe it’s a state of mind where you feel good about yourself or feel really confident.  Perhaps it’s a sense of contentment or as the Eagles sing, “A peaceful easy feeling.”

I’m not sure myself though I will always treasure the amazing luck I had at my Yahtzee game that day.  What I am sure of, however, is the peace that passes all understanding I have been given by faith in my savior, Jesus Christ.  Every day. Would you like that same peace, that same confidence, that same assuredness?  Read on and find it for yourself in the Lord’s Word.

• Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!  Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9) 

• Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

• This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)


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