This is National Bingo Month.

You yell, “Bingo!” because you were the first to fill in the squares on your card vertically, horizontally, or diagonally (or the four corners). Winning this game feels good, but you know it’s mostly just luck. Your success in this game is determined by how the letter and number combinations drawn match what you have.

Many people feel the same way about life, that it’s all about luck and chance. Good things happen to a person, they believe, simply because he or she is in the right place at the right time. They believe that’s how bad stuff happens too.

Others say that everything depends on our choices in life. We control our own destiny—everything depends on what we choose to do or not do.

The Bible presents a much different view—God is in control. Nothing happens without his knowledge and his permission. Proverbs 16:9 states, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

This is wonderful knowledge, especially when everything going on around us seems crazy. Knowing that God is all-powerful and all-knowing gives a great feeling of security.

Remember when you were little and got scared at night? You would go into your parents’ bedroom and sleep with them. You could relax and sleep peacefully knowing that Mom and Dad were with you and would take care of you.

That’s how it is with God. He’s right with you, watching out for you. Your life doesn’t depend on luck—it depends on him. And that’s true on both good and bad days.

But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken (Psalm 33:11).

To Do

Watch television news, and during each story think, “God is in control.” Watch how that truth affects your attitude.

Also on this day

This is National Fruitcake Day.

1938—The first snowmobile course in America opened in North Conway, New Hampshire.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.