Morning Devotional

August 7, 2003

“The Odds”  

by Don Emmitte

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The LORD gave me a message. He said, "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world." "O Sovereign LORD," I said, "I can't speak for you! I'm too young!" "Don't say that," the LORD replied, "for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and take care of you. I, the LORD, have spoken!" (Jeremiah 1:4-8 NLT). 

Just last week the Texas lottery was valued at over $40 million! I must confess that from time to time the sales people at work get up a pool to go and buy tickets when the winnings get that high. I have wondered what might happen if they actually won the lottery? However, I also know the odds of winning are very slim. In fact, usually the odds are published at over two million to one!

I have been amused at the people who have won. The surprise and shock at seeing that they have actually won the lottery is always funny to me. I especially am amused when I hear them say, “I’ve never won anything before.” The truth is that they have already won at a “game” with much higher odds than the lottery!

Ryan J. Sokol of the statistics department at Texas A&M University has calculated the odds of a specific individual being born. Dr. Sokol estimated the total number of fertile men and women in the world, calculated the number of different genetic possibilities a man might contribute, adjusted for the number of hours of female fertility each month, then factored in a long list of other considerations. The bottom line of Sokol’s lengthy report said, "The chance that you, meaning exactly you, would be born are I in I.3 times ten to the twenty-ninth power." That’s a lot of zeros behind the first two numbers. In fact, the number is written as 130,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to one. You and I my friend, are two incredibly, amazingly, lucky people. We both won the genetic lottery!

Compared with the odds against being born, the odds are very good that you will be elected president of the United States. You have already won a lottery more amazing than humankind could ever devise. You have already been awarded a prize far richer than anything the world has to give. You are alive. Now, go and enjoy being alive!  

Stan Lec said, “The finger of God never leaves identical fingerprints.” No wonder God assured Jeremiah that he would be taken care of in our reading this morning. If God goes to so much thought and planning to create us, certainly He will take care of us. When Jesus encourage His disciples not to be afraid, He used an illustration of small birds. They were insignificant in the eyes of the people of His day. Yet, Jesus said they were so important to God that not one of them fell from the sky without God noticing and caring. How much more are we worth than that in God’s eyes? Infinitely more! Rest in the knowledge that God made you and cares for you. He won’t let you down!