The other day, I was playing checkers with my son on his iPhone. I beat him miserably; however, before we started playing, I had no idea I was going to win, especially since there was a new technique involved. I had to get used to hitting the squares with the pads of my fingers to make them light up so I could then “move” my checkers to the spaces where I wanted them to go. This difference in operation almost distracted my attention from the strategy of the game which I knew how to play.
As with checkers, so with life. Most of us know the right strategies to use in order to win: put God first, honor our parents and our spouse, dedicate ourselves to family, live within our means, do an honest day’s work, strive to better ourselves, help the needy, tithe, save, and give. Don’t let the differences in operation distract from the strategies of this game of life that we already know how to play.
- We still have to tithe, save, and give; now we just may organize it all with a computer-based accounting program.
- We still have to help the needy; now we just may send our donations to the missions of our choice via automatic deduction.
- We still have to strive to better ourselves; now we just may complete our degree with classes once a week over the internet.
- We still have to do an honest day’s work; now we just may send our resumes by fax rather than showing up in person at first.
- We still have to live within our means and pay our bills; now we just may manage our finances and pay bills on-line.
- We still have to dedicate ourselves to family; now we just may attend some of the great seminars that help us understand more about each other.
- We still have to honor our loved ones; now we just may add texts, Facebook, and Twitter messages to those love notes and flowers we’re used to sending.
- We still have to put God first; now we just may read our Bibles using on-line study helps, keep our prayer journal on a blog, and follow Bible study lessons during the week with a WebTV mentor/teacher (while remaining active as members of our local church, or course).
As long as we do what we know we’re supposed to do, no matter how we have to get it done, like me with my checkers game, we will win in the end. That’s the good news of the final chapters of the book of Revelation. Read chapters 21 and 22. We win! We read that “…only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life” will enjoy the victory of the end of this game (Revelation 21:27b, NKJ).
If we’re going to make any resolutions for the new year, let’s make at least one all- encompassing tenacious determination, and that’s to stick to the strategies we already know in the Lord. What we’re not doing that we should be doing; we’ll start. What we’re doing wrong; we’ll stop. Simple.
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REMINDER: Remember to study your Bible regularly. At any time of the day or night, log on to www.webtv4women.tv. Click the Bible Study channel, and then Sharon’s show, A Heart for the Word. Increase your knowledge of the Word in just 6 minutes a day.
©2009 Sharon Norris Elliott. Feel free to forward this devotion in its entirety, including the copyright line. For all devotions, comments, and questions, log onto Sharon’s blog at www.sanewriter.wordpress.com.
