Start Again
Author: Erin Matheny (Indiana, US)
A hand-held electronic game I like to play uses voice commands. By following the commands to take certain actions, a player improves and advances in the game.
Playing this game reminds me of life. In the game, players rely on the voice commands telling us what to do. And in life, if we want to be faithful, we rely on God to tell us what to do. In the game, as in life, following the commands isn’t always easy.
And the game reminds me of life in another way. When you make a mistake in the game, you can always start again. Likewise, in life when we make a mistake we can always ask God for forgiveness and start over again.
It probably wasn’t easy for Jonah to disrupt his life and go to Nineveh to tell others about God. It may not be easy for us to follow God’s commands either. But if we listen to God and try to do what God says, we will have an everlasting life.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us follow your commands, even when it is not easy. As Jesus taught us, we pray, ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ Amen
