Checkmate! Your game pieces obediently moved at your command filling you with triumphant joy. Finally, the game is over and you have conquered. The game of life continues, and God is in command. He is looking for obedient game pieces to move at His directive.
During my quiet time with the Lord, I sought rest for my soul. In my exact words, I told Him how weary I was. I sat quietly finding comfort in His Word when my cell phone beeped. Galatians 6:9, as a text message, flashed across my screen. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” An obedient game piece had me in check mate. Little did she know the importance of her obedience.
Trying to resolve a time-consuming, medical claim, I was eager to hang up when I felt led to share Christ. I hesitated, then shared the Gospel. The representative said she would think about it and hung up. I was disappointed. I wondered if she had accepted Christ so I called later, but was informed an ambulance had carried her away from the office. I was reminded of my almost disobedience and was thankful that I had obeyed.
In Genesis 31:13, God reminded Jacob of his vow to return to Bethel and erect an altar of worship if God would bless him (Genesis 28:20-22). Taking his increased family, he headed there to perform his vow. Some 450 miles later, his focus blurred, and he stopped in Shechem, bought land, and even erected an altar.
Unfortunately, he watched his disobedience affect his family. Dinah fell into forced immorality and a city of men was destroyed. God, still looking for obedience, told Jacob again to go to Bethel in Genesis 35:1. Determined to bury the continued influence of about eight years in Shechem, Jacob commanded his family to discard their strange gods, and then began his rather short journey of twenty miles to Bethel.
Almost obedience is incomplete obedience. Arriving at Bethel, Jacob kept his vow, built an altar, and saw God respond with blessing. What havoc Jacob left in his path of disobedience.
Jacob’s well was located in the area of Shechem. Jesus must needs go through Samaria to a certain well. His game plan was to save an immoral woman and a city of many men. The Lord always finishes His game in victory whether I fail Him or not. I wonder who has suffered along the way in my time of almost obedience?
My desire is to be an obedient game piece. When God whispers to move, may I move. God’s game of life is in motion, and His hand hovers over your game piece. Can He trust His next move to you, or should He use plan B?
