Today's Devotional

 

March 12, 2008

                                                                                         

Subject:  Stop Gaming God

John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

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We've all done this from time to time.  We want a particular outcome or something to happen so we take an action and cloak it as "the best we could do" or "the only thing we could do" at the time.  Deep inside we feel some sense of compromise to our principles but we do it because we really do want this outcome.  The term in the world often used for that is called "gaming it."  It means that we're doing too much calculating rather than making a principled decision.  

This didn't just start with us.  It happened with Abraham and Sarah.  When Abraham took Hagar to try to fulfill the promise that God gave to them, he was "gaming it."  It also happened with Judas.  When he tried to propel Jesus into action against the Romans by turning Jesus over to them, he was "gaming it."  There are tons of biblical examples of people who tried to manipulate God's plan for them and we often try to do it today.  

If today you feel a sense of hopelessness or despair and you're "making your best decision," then you haven't heard from God on the matter.  See, God never intended for us to "make our best decision."  He intended for us to be led by His Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit can't make a bad decision.  When we are led by Him, not only are we not "gaming it," the game is over and we've already won.  Your best decision is to hear God and follow Him.         

Carlen