The cigarette smoke was denser as I approached the table. Above the background noise of an upbeat Frank Sinatra recording, I could hear the crowd cheering. All eyes were focused on the man at the end of the table. He tapped the table three times with his fingers then made a fist and then rested it for another second. He snatched the dice, briefly closed his eyes, then threw it across the table, shouting, “C’mon Baby! Be the right one!”
I was watching a craps game in a Las Vegas casino. Although I do not gamble, I was intrigued by the routine that this player repeated before he threw his dice. On a hunch, I waited a few more minutes until the next player took their turn throwing the dice. This time, she squeezed the dice twice before throwing it. As I left that table and passed by other tables, I observed the majority of players had a variation of this routine.
It is not only gamblers, many people undertake a brief ritual before performing a task. Baseball players before they come to bat; basketball players before shooting a free throw. What about the pre-trial rituals of attorneys or pretest rituals of students? Name the profession or activity and there is usually a pre-task ritual. Many years ago, I underwent Lasik eye surgery to correct my near-sightedness. On the morning of the surgery, he met with me to briefly go over what would happen. He then smiled and said, “I have a routine before every surgery. I would like to pray for you and for the entire team caring for you. Would you allow me to do that?”
The surgeon did not know I was a Christian and I certainly appreciated and agreed to his request. This was a pre-task ritual with which I heartily approved!
Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3 (NASB)
Many of us have routines before beginning a task. Regardless of what it is, if one is a believer in Jesus Christ, any task should always begin with praising and acknowledging God’s sovereign will over what we are about to undertake. He created us for a purpose, to honor Him in everything we do.
Amen!
Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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