13–Faith or superstition?

Summer Fun with Biblical Numbers continues in a prayerful format.

Step 1: Relax. Ask Jesus to visit with you. Tell Him any concerns on your mind.

Step 2: Read the prompt:

The number thirteen does not symbolize anything in the bible although several good Christian events are associated with it. Solomon completed the Temple in thirteen years. (1 Kings 7:1) In French Christmas tradition, thirteen desserts are served on the Epiphany because it took the Magi thirteen days to find Jesus. In Jewish tradition, boys who are thirteen years old celebrate their bar mitzvah, an initiation ceremony that signifies they are ready to follow their faith and participate in public worship. And in 1917, just over a 100 years ago, Mary appeared to the children of Fatima on the thirteenth day of May, June, July, August, September, and October.

Thirteen is frequently called an “unlucky” number because there were at least thirteen people at the Last Supper after which Jesus was arrested and crucified. Because the crucifixion occurred on a Friday, thirteen and Friday were combined as a double whammy to frighten people and make them think “luck” was a reality rather than the fantasy concept it is. In truth, we don’t know how many people attended the Last Supper. We know from the Gospels that Jesus and the twelve apostles were there (thirteen). But we don’t know if Mary, the Mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdalene or any of the other disciples were there too but just not mentioned in the Gospels.

In short, the devil, the Liar, took an innocent number, made by God as all the other numbers were, and tried to make it scary and less than wonderful. How mean of the devil to sully this number and imply an unholy association for people born on the thirteen of the month, or people who are the thirteenth child in their family. The Liar was so pervasive in spreading this fear that many tall buildings left the number thirteen out of their floor numbers, naming the floors ten, eleven, twelve, fourteen and so on. Some airlines omitted aisle thirteen.

Don’t fall for the devil’s lies! Thirteen is not a lucky or unlucky number or a bad number. Luck is a superstition; and superstitions are anti-faith, anti-Christian, because they look for power and answers in the natural world which was made–and is controlled forever–by God.

So celebrate your thirteenth birthday, your thirteenth anniversary, your thirteenth child or child born on the thirteenth of the month. And remember, the devil hates Mary because she crushed his efforts to destroy the world by agreeing to birth Jesus, the Savior of the world. I can’t help smile that she let the devil get slapped in the face again and again, by appearing on the 13th of the month at Fatima, making the thirteenth quite a special day indeed.

Step 3: Talk to Jesus as you would a good friend. Tell Him how you feel about what you read. What part of this prompt stood out to you?

Step 4: Contemplate. Set a timer so you don’t have to watch the clock. Relax in His presence. Let Him speak to you. Does He speak to you through the following scripture?

Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness.

1 Tm 4:7

Step 5: Pray. Wrap up your feelings and thoughts about what you said to God and what He said to you in a prayer.

Step 6: Take something to keep in your heart until your next prayer session. Writing it down helps.

Thanks for continuing to pray these short meditations with us. God bless you in a special way. VR