What would you do if someone offered you the opportunity to bet on a “sure thing”? Several years ago, I bumped into a friend at a Las Vegas trade show whose hobby was breeding racehorses.
“Don,” he said, “One of my horses is running in the fifth race at Santa Anita this afternoon. This horse is making its maiden run, so the odds will be against her winning. But this filly is amazing, and she is going to win. You really should put some money on her.”
I am not a gambler. But figuring it would be foolish to pass up a sure thing, I went to the sports bet in the casino and placed my wager. A couple of hours later, I watched as the horse won its race by three lengths.
That evening I ran into my friend. “Did you bet on my horse?” he asked excitedly.
“Absolutely! Thanks for the tip”
“How much did you win?”
With a broad smile, I responded, “Eleven dollars.”
“Eleven dollars!” he shrieked. How much did you bet?
“Somewhat chagrined, I whispered, “Two bucks.”
As he walked away, shaking his head, he kept repeating, “Two bucks on a sure thing. Two bucks?”
My friend’s horse had won that race, but she went on to a less than stellar racing career — no sure thing.
The next time I heard about a “sure thing” came during the solar energy boom in 2010. I invested in a solar panel manufacturer’s stock that was skyrocketing. After a few weeks, my holding had grown consistently, so I reinvested money from other stocks I had sold in this solar company. As a caution, I put a stop order which would trigger the sale of my holdings if they declined in value but made the stop point extremely low, never expecting the stock to dip to that level. The stock continued to rise, and I was comfortable riding the wave.
Then, without warning, the stock fell precipitously. Imagine my shock when the stock hit the stop-order level. All my gains disappeared. I should have heeded Proverbs warning against get-rich schemes:
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. Proverbs 13:11(NLT)
In the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. Proverbs 23:5
Now, much older and somewhat wiser, I realize there is only one sure thing. We read about it in Hebrews: Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5
The coronavirus has turned our world pretty much upside down, but as the below chart from a Pew Research Study indicates, the virus may be helping people of many faiths recognize the value of the one sure thing they have found: God’s faithfulness.
Christians get an explanation of our sure thing in the book of Romans: Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:1-4
This gets us back to the question asked at the beginning of this devotional: What would you do if someone offered you the opportunity to bet on a “sure thing”? If you are putting your money on Jesus, you have already hit the jackpot. Why not share your good fortune with others?
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
Happy New Year Blessings,
Don & Bonnie Sennott
Authors of Your Heart is an Open Book: Finding Answers in God’s Word
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