Reading With the People of God - #6 LOVEنموونە

Memorization Challenge: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain not

Reading Primer: Going "All In"

There is a phrase that is used in the game of poker – ”all in.” As many of you know, a player says and does this when he risks it all to win the hand. He puts all he has on the line and pushes it toward the middle of the table, hoping to win the hand and get his chips and money back. The risk is that he could also lose it all and be completely out of the game. Most players don’t go all in unless they are pretty sure they have a good chance of winning and a winning hand. They are going all in based on the hand that they have. They trust all that they have in the hand that they hold.

As you read the scriptures for today, think about this illustration: Can the writer of Psalm 7 (David) pursue God as his only refuge in the midst of great turmoil if he is not all in with God, if he does not really trust God totally with his very life?

Can and will appointed judges, as we read about in Deuteronomy 16, judge fairly no matter what unless they are all in with the God who demands that of them?

And can we live a life of love, demonstrated by caring for our weaker brother, giving up some of our freedoms in Christ, unless we are all in with God?

Remember Peter’s response to Jesus when Jesus told him to go fishing in the middle of the day. According to Peter, it was the wrong time of day to go fishing. And they had just fished all night and not caught anything. Do you remember what Peter said to Jesus after Jesus said to go fishing?

“Master, we've worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”(Luke 5:5 NIV)

If you want God to be your refuge, you need to be all in with Him, even when you think you have a better way, even when it feels like evil is winning. Go all in. Trust in His hand, in His way, in His time.

If God tells you to judge fairly and you don’t feel like it, or you know there are some gains to be made by fudging a little here and there on what is right and just, do it anyway. Go all in. Do it His way.

Suppose your freedom in Christ would cause a younger brother in Christ to stumble. Love them as Jesus calls you to do. Give up some of your rights for the welfare of others. Go all in with Jesus. Do it his way. Trust in His hand.

- Steve Moody Mentor, teacher, retired pastor and educator