Annulling `laws' of chance

THE other day a friend at work remarked, ``If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all.'' This is certainly an unhappy view of life, and may be shared by many who believe in life ruled by chance. There are some who simply believe they are destined to misfortune. Perhaps you view your life as a random mix--some good luck, some bad. The lottery and gambling craze thrives on faith in chance, probabilities, and the elusive hope of becoming a winner. This is an empty hope for most. But might not even the ``winner,'' by reinforcing his faith in chance, be exposing himself to the other side of the coin--to misfortune or accident? Belief in laws of chance is at best a precarious premise for life. There is a stable premise, however, one followed by many Biblical characters and others who have glimpsed the harmonious control of universal Principle, or Mind--God Himself. Individuals such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses lived successful lives because of their willingness to let God control their destiny. They proved the truth of the Bible promise ``God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.'' 1 Christ Jesus placed implicit trust in God's government of events. He annulled supposed laws of chance. He healed people of sickness and disease, including hereditary trouble and mental derangement. He knew that God creates and precisely governs His universe, including man, and that His laws alone are valid. Jesus assured his followers (and us) that our loving Father who feeds the ravens and clothes the lilies is perfectly capable of caring for His children.2 Almost nineteen centuries later, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, saw clearly the unvarying nature of God and His intelligent control of the universe, including His spiritual offspring, man. In this ordered universe of Mind, man is never the victim of circumstances--the caprices of nature, the vagaries of disease or accident. His life is governed by divine law. As we come to understand this fact, our lives are established on a firmer basis; we experience increasing harmony. Mrs. Eddy writes: ``Accidents are unknown to God, or immortal Mind, and we must leave the mortal basis of belief and unite with the one Mind, in order to change the notion of chance to the proper sense of God's unerring direction and thus bring out harmony.'' 3 I experienced proof of Mind's government not long ago when driving home from work one summer day on a busy freeway. During that day I had been pondering a statement of Mrs. Eddy's in Science and Health: ``The divine understanding reigns, is all, and there is no other consciousness.'' 4 It occurred to me to move into the right-hand lane early to be prepared to exit. As I did so, the car that had been ahead of me in the left lane suddenly swerved out of control and spun completely around, facing the opposite direction. Had I continued in the left lane, there might have been a severe collision. As it happened, however, the traffic that followed had sufficient time to come to a stop. There was no accident, and everyone went on as if nothing had happened. This was convincing proof to me that we don't have to be victims of chance when we realize that God does direct and care for man. Each of us can accept God's direction moment by moment and feel secure in His great love for us. Then we will know the steady assurance that our lives are ordered by God, not by chance. 1 II Samuel 22:33. 2 See Luke 12:24-32. 3 Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 424. 4 Ibid., p. 536.