THE MAGIC OF THREES

You've heard that things come naturally in 3's—3 little pigs, 3 musketeers, 3 blind mice...all are stories using the magical formula of 3's. Two isn't enough; four is too many.

Like the Trinity. Perfect.

Well, today is the THIRD Friday the thirteenth this year! 

It’s unusual to have three Friday the thirteenths in a single year. Ordinarily, Friday the thirteenth happens only twice a year. But three times makes it extra lucky.  

Even better, this year, all three of our Friday the thirteenths are exactly 13 weeks apart—January 13, April 13 and today.  

The calendar has three this year because 2012 is a leap year. That extra day in February throws everything out of its orderly sequence.  

But rest easy. There won’t be another three Friday the thirteenths in a leap year until the year 2040. 

So enjoy this special, extra lucky day while you can! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for creating time to enable us to keep track of the wonderful days you have made. Let us rejoice and be glad in every one of them, praising and worshipping you. Amen. 

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Do you feel extra lucky today?  

For the superstition behind Friday the thirteenth and why it it’s a lucky day, please read my post FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH: THIS IS YOUR LUCKY DAY.

Stay tuned...my friend Chris Vonada will reveal the next building block of relationships on Monday.

THIRTEENTH REMIX

Today is Friday the thirteenth. In 2012, we have three of them: January 13, April 13 and July 13. It’s unusual to have three Friday the thirteenths in one year.

It’s especially lucky.

If you didn’t read my post before, here’s a link to learn about Friday the thirteenth—why some people considered the day unlucky; but why it’s extra, super lucky to me. 

Jesus died for us on Friday. Lucky us!

FRIDAY THE 13TH: TODAY IS YOUR LUCKY DAY

Happy Friday the 13^th.  There’ll be three Friday the thirteenths this year: today, April 13 and July 13. Coincidentally, all of them are 13 weeks apart from each other. 

 

Some people think Friday the 13^th is an unlucky day.

 

But Friday the 13^th reminds me of Jesus. 

 

Why would people think this date is unlucky in the first place? There are different ideas about where the superstition came from.

 

NUMEROLOGY OF 13 

 

The number 12 is thought of as a number of completeness. There were 12 tribes of Israel, 12 disciples of Jesus, 12 months in a year, 12 hours on a clock. The number 13—one more than the complete number—was too many, irregular, infringing on proper laws of the universe. Therefore it was unlucky.  

Also: 

• There were usually 13 steps up to gallows
• There are 12 witches in a coven plus Satan  

OK, those are bad.

 

Norse mythology believes that when thirteen people are seated together at a table, one of the diners will die. That myth-based superstition was strengthened biblically. In the case of Jesus’ Last Supper, not just one—but two of the 13 diners (Jesus and Judas) died.

 

WHY FRIDAY?

Biblically, several other bad things are believed to have occurred on Friday. These are based on Christian “tradition” (long-held ideas) rather than scripture but here they are to shed light on where Friday superstitions might have come from. It’s believed that on Friday:

• Eve gave Adam the forbidden fruit
• God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden
• The Great Flood began on Friday
• God struck down the Tower of Babel
• The temple of Solomon was destroyed 

THE GOOD NEWS 

Jesus was crucified on Friday. We know that from historical records. Yes, that was horrible. No question about it. It was a horrible, horrible way for our Lord to die. 

 

But if Jesus hadn’t been crucified, hadn’t died as our blood sacrifice to cover our sins, then none of us would have the chance to spend eternity in heaven with him. 

 

And that’s a very good thing. 

 

We can never do anything on our own to earn entry into heaven. But Jesus did it for us; by dying on a Friday.  

 

That makes Friday a very lucky day for us. 

 

+++

 

Thirteen people seated at the Last Supper? Mythology says at least one of them had to die. Praise God one of them was Jesus. 

 

I’ll be thinking about the number 13 and Fridays today and how they remind me of Jesus. 

 

Today—and every day since Jesus died—is our lucky day! 

 

PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus for dying for my sake. Please remind me every day that because of your sacrifice, every day—even Friday the 13^th—is our lucky day. Amen. 

 

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Are you superstitious? About what? Why?