Daily Devotional – 5/18/16 “The hand you’ve been dealt!”

When you’re playing cards, no matter what type, you’re dealt a hand to play. No one knows what you have but you. Now you have the option to do one of two things, play the hand you’ve been dealt or throw it in. If you decide to play it and you’re a true player of the game, you’ll put your game face on. What is a game face? Well, it’s the face that make folk think you have a better hand than you do. It’s the face that looks at your partner and silently asks them the question, “You got this, right?” It’s the face you have to portray in order to throw off the other players. And it’s the face you make that allows you to trash talk your opponent even though you know it’s a possibility you may lose. So, what are you going to do? Yea, you can throw the cards in but then you’ll be forfeiting your chance to possibly win. After all, you don’t know what your partner has in his hands. Yes, you can throw the cards in but then you would have given the opponent the upper hand. So, I ask again, what are you going to do? Are you going to play the cards you’ve been dealt or are you contemplating throwing them in?

Think about it for a moment because someone is sitting, right now, in a place looking at the cards life has dealt you. You’re trying to figure out if you can make it work or will it be better to just throw it all in. You’re looking at the fact that your children are acting like strangers, you’re on the verge of losing your job if you miss one more day, the bank is calling because you’ve been overdrawn too long, the title loan place is calling your family and friends, you can’t get any more check advances and at this moment, it looks better to just throw in the towel. And you can but why do that when you haven’t even looked up at your partner who may just have what you need. Why are you considering throwing in the hand when you haven’t even allowed your partner a say in the matter? Yes, it may look all bad and you don’t know how you can possibly win with this hand but have you checked with your partner? You do know, He’s never lost a game; don’t you? Chile, He’s the champ when it comes to winning; why won’t you try Him? When will you say like Psalm 31:14-15, “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, “You are my God?” My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.” When will you put your game face on and trash talk your enemy? When will you put your game face on and tap into the strength you’ve been given? Understand this, your partner has what you need to win but He needs you to play the hand. Oh, it might get down to the last few minutes but trust your partner. Will you? Beloved, don’t give up at this point in the game because if you do what you can, the God we serve will do what we can’t.