February 23, 2013
Playing Games With God
Are you a game player: risk taker: adventure seeker in your relationship with God?
For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
1 Corinthians 4:4-5
“Everybody has his own theater, in which he is manager, actor, prompter, playwright, sceneshifter, box keeper, doorkeeper, all in one and audience into the bargain.”
- Julius C. Hare
Life can be like a game to some people, it seems. There are those, we have all known them, who are always seeking to gain the advantage, score more points or out wit or out maneuver those they interact with; as if these people are somehow, in the game of life, their opponents. Many, who play games, play with a tenacious bent on winning and they seem to have a predisposition towards not loosing gracefully: while there are others who just enjoy the pleasure of the game.
We all know life is not a game, however many seem to treat it as if it is; and sadly many treat their spiritual lives and their relationship and interactions with God in a similar manner. To paraphrase a Kenny Rogers song: many seem to think when it comes to interacting with God, we have to ‘know when to hold ‘em or know when to fold ‘em. ‘
We seem to forget God is not fooled or hoodwinked by our ‘poker faces’ or nor is He impressed with our clever antics or maneuvers employed to gain an advantage or score more points. God is the discerner of the heart and He sees beyond the superficiality of the surface and He sees the real, true base and raw feelings, emotions and thoughts that make us who we really are.
There is no way in life to gain an advantage over God and He is not a competitor with whom we need to dominate, annihilate or defeat: rather He is a source from which to garner help, strength and assistance in overcoming the real challenges of life.
Christianity is not a game we can play or an activity we can engage in when it suits our purpose: rather it is a conscience commitment to a lifestyle of humility, servitude and passion in which we realize we are not to seek to be in first place or even desire to experience dominance: instead we are to submit to God, serve one another and love, forgive and seek to honor God in all we do.
When we put these things into their proper perspective and we see God as being first place, then by virtue of these things we can’t help but be winners in the game of life.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I know to win in life I have to follow your will; do things your way and allow you to be first place in everything I do: help me to be diligent and faithful in doing this.
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