Spoilers

Any TV (particularly The Bill) fans out there will be able to relate to this. Don't you hate it when someone comes up to you knowing that you watch a particular show without checking if you saw the last episode and tells you what happened... and as it happens you didn't see the last episode?

I was thinking about this in a more web-based way. Every Saturday(Sydney time) thebill.com is updated with next week's episodes in the UK (which are 6 months or so ahead of Australia). I can't resist looking them up. As I type this I am waiting for tomorrow to come with great enthusiasm because I find out what happens to one of my favourite characters, Smithy (Sgt Dale Smith, played by Alex Walkinshaw). For me I was in shock when I got the cliff-hanger (as such) from last week's episode rundown.

Sometimes we treat life like this. We hunt out the spoilers (finding out what is going to happen in the future) when we really have no right to (apart from the fact that Jesus (the Messiah) is going to return). We try to play God with things like fortune tellers and wealth-creation schemes and even insurance (although it is wise to be insured). What do we gain from this?

In the smaller picture (using the example of The Bill) you know if it's worth watching the show, setting the VCR if you are out or even having a few fellow fans over to share the experience of the particular story-line.

The bigger picture is that we forget that God is in control and has our best interests at heart. Sometimes this is hard to grasp, especially if you are a Christian and things are not going well for you at this particular time (or even hasn't been for years). My favourite book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes outlines this over and over again by showing us that everything that is not from God, is meaningless (ie doesn't last/fulfill)... even The Bill!

Kath xo