So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.
Acts of the Apostles 1:23-26 NLT
From Acts 1, we learn that the apostles knew to ask God for wisdom in choosing an apostle to replace Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Christ. They knew from having had a close relationship with Jesus for eighteen months that God gives wisdom and that He cares about every detail of our lives.
Cast Lots?
But seriously??? They cast lots??? Isn’t that gambling on chance outcomes? Let me tell you — that’s exactly what I thought until I researched the “Biblical” meaning of “faithful casting ”. The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Peter 5: 7-9 that we should be “casting all [our] cares upon Him [(Jesus Christ)] for he cares for [us].” The Apostles in fact were casting their cares upon God with the act of casting lots after prayer while choosing a replacement for Judas.
The time they had spent together with Jesus before His crucifixion taught them the wisdom of trusting God for every outcome for their profound responsibility to continue after Christ’s resurrection and ascension. Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father and now they were responsible for His charge to “go out to ALL the world” with Christ’s Gospel message (The Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20: “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”’).
The Apostles were now God’s trusted messengers. Every decision both small and large had to be pure, true, correct, and effective! And, the stakes were high on this one, a huge make or break decision for the spreading of the Gospel to ALL nations. So, lots they prayerfully cast and faithfully trusted in the Lord’s wisdom in the outcome of their casting. Friends, Jesus’ same charge is true for us believers today and forever forward! So, we, therefore, also must pray about every decision both large and small.
Don’t Worry, Just Pray!
The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6 – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” When casting lots for wisdom in choosing God’s new apostle, the eleven original chosen ones, did just that. They prayed and then, left the outcome up to God. The wisest decision they could ever make about the most important question they could ever ask! Likewise, our wisest action is to pray to God about everything and, then, let Him reveal His wisdom to us as we patiently and faithfully await God’s answers and outcome in every circumstance.
If you are like me, following the example of the Apostles in decision making is probably a very difficult thing to do. It takes sincere and wholehearted trust, great faith, patience, surrender, pureness of heart, acceptance, and worship of God to successfully achieve our letting go of ourselves in complete submission to God’s Will and wisdom. That’s never easy! Especially for me! But, it is absolutely necessary! I’m not saying for us believers today to physically cast lots after prayer. But, what I am saying is that we must pray before every decision and action. We must place our trust in God for answers. We must let go of our control in the outcome with complete surrender to God’s absolute, loving, and caring will. God’s best for us is always better than our best! We can’t even imagine the “best” that He desires for us.
I’m still working on my wholehearted trust in God though prayer in every decision that I must make. But, I am now “praying about everything and casting all my cares on Jesus’s Christ because He cares for me”. I faithfully believe that as I seek God’s wisdom in my life through prayer, I will reach blessed trust, worship, acceptance, and surrender to God’s perfect will and wisdom in the decisions that I must make everyday. I will gain the wisdom I am seeking! And, I will experience God’s absolute BEST outcome in my life! What about you?