This week our church has been running a sports camp each evening hosting about 120 kids as they learn skills, play games, and burn off energy. I’m running (walking?) with seven and eight-year-olds and getting home each night with my grandson well past both our bedtimes. Kind of impacts what “bright and early” looks like this week (hence a mid-morning post) and how much time I have to chew on my morning readings in the morning.

But here’s what’s been running through my mind throughout this morning . . .

Back story . . . King Jehoshaphat, good king from Judah, enters into an alliance with King Ahab, bad king from Israel. Dumb move!

Ahab says, “I have an idea, why don’t you come along and help me war with my enemies?” Jehoshaphat replies, “Sure!” Ahab schemes, “How about I wear a disguise in battle, and you ride upon your horse with your royal robe on so that everyone knows you’re a king.” Jehoshaphat replies, “Sure!” Dumber move.

Enemy forces see the regal robe bullseye on Jehoshaphat’s back flapping in the wind and give chase. Jehoshaphat prays. God hears, God acts on his behalf: “And the LORD helped him; God drew them away from him” (2Chron. 18:31).

As for Ahab, he’s unseen, camouflaged amidst the battlefield as just another no-name, no rank solider.

But then, some other no-name, run-of-the-mill, non-descript, indiscriminate solider decides to take aim at whoever in the crowd.

But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

(2Chronicles 18:34 ESV)

At random . . . Now there’s some food for thought.

Innocently. Without intent. The archer just archer-ing ’cause he supposed to. And his eyes-closed, longshot arrow not only finds the disguised king but also “happens upon” a crack in the joints of the king’s armor.

At random?

Nope. Not buying it. No such thing as “at random” when it comes to an all-knowing, all-powerful, Sovereign God. If anything is clear in the Scriptures — Old and New Testament — it’s that God determines all things. Even where stray arrows end up.

God determines all things? Like all things? Yup, I’m pretty sure.

“I form light and create darkness;
       I make well-being and create calamity;
       I am the LORD, who does all these things.”

(Isaiah 45:7 ESV)

Who has spoken and it came to pass,
       unless the Lord has commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
       that good and bad come?
Why should a living man complain,
       a man, about the punishment of his sins?

(Lamentations 3:37-39 ESV)

Bottom line, nothing’s random.

If I have a beef with some of the cards I’ve been dealt me in this life, ultimately, it’s with the Giver of life, the One who, in His sovereign purposes and through the finished work of the cross, has called me to “have life, and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10 NIV). If I can’t understand why, I can rest in Him who knows why (Isa. 55:8-9). If I fail to see how it’s good, I look by faith to the God who is good and promises all things will work together for good (Rom. 8:28).

There is a deep shalom for those who know nothing’s random (Ps. 131).

By His grace. For His glory.