Never Play Games With God

Matthew 21:24-27 - But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.”  So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”

 

Jesus used every minute of His time waiting in Jerusalem to pack as many teachings as he could into the last of His days.  He rode humbly into town on a donkey. He rebuked the money changers and merchants who had turned his Father’s House meant for prayer and worship into a ‘den of thieves.’  He used fruitless fig trees to teach the disciples about faith and prayer.  He told stories to illustrate His Father’s amazing grace and love. He even beat the religious leaders at their own game of ‘let’s trap Jesus so we can get rid of Him.’

 

It is a reminder to me to never play games with God.  He knows our heart and every motive that precedes the actions of our hands…feet…and mouths. We believe…or we don’t…there is no middle choice. We act on our faith and use it to help others…or we manipulate the laws like the religious leaders did to fit our own needs. The latter is not blessed by God but frowned upon…it hurts His very core for us to try and twist His love and blessings to increase our own happiness.  We will wither someday just like that fig tree that did not have food ready for Jesus when He was hungry.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that receiving your love and grace is not a game to be played.  Forgive me for the times that I have manipulated your blessings to do what my selfish human flesh wanted to do.  Help me to make better choices with the things you have given me…so that I can bear so much fruit that the branches won’t hold it all.  Make me so fruitful that all the people who need it can gather it from the ground around me. Amen.