The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They
are new every morning. Great is they faithfulness. The lord is my portion says my soul. Therefore I will trust in Him. Lamentations 3:23
When I was in junior high, a friend at camp taught me how to play chess. Kind of. I learned how the different pieces could move and I learned some strategy but I was never very good. Fast forward several years. My children learned how to play chess at school. They are both very linear thinkers and are really good at chess. They would want me to play so they could practice, or maybe so they could beat me. I would get excited when I figured out a strategic move, thinking two moves ahead. Then whoever I was playing would say, "Mama, you don't want to do that because then I could move my pawn here and then you would have to move your bishop there and then my queen could take this and .....So much for my great strategy.
I have a confession. For most of my life I have seen my relationship with God as a sort of cosmic chess game. This was not a conscious decision on my part, but my personality and teaching made it a natural conclusion. If I went to church then I would be blessed. If I kept the commandments I would be blessed. If I was baptized and lived right I would be saved. If I tithed then I would have plenty of money. If I had faith God would answer my prayers. I had verses to back all of these ideas up. Unfortunately the enemy took something that was basically good and distorted it. I lived under a lot of pressure. You see, if I did not do these things then I would not be blessed, or saved, or have plenty of money, Just recently, I gave someone what I considered to be a small blessing and minutes later someone gave me what I considered a much bigger blessing. I thanked God, but pointed out that I hadn't done enough for a big blessing. Once again, He reminded me that he is much more concerned by the state of my heart than with the size of my gift. He also showed me that life with him is not a back and forth game of chess. His love is a fountain and "his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23)
God did not wait for man to come to him for salvation before coming up with a plan. Revelation 13:8 says that Jesus was "the lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world." He didn't even wait for men to seek a relationship with Him. John 15:16 is a verse that has meant so much to me. IT says this. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." In 1 John 4:19 we read, "We love because he first loved us." Unlike what I tend to think, God does not wait for us to make a move toward him. Luke 6:38 says that "the measure that we used shall be used with us, full measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over."
Join me this week in basking in God's love and favor. Giving is great, but it comes out of our joy and gratitude, not because we are trying to get to the next square.
