The Score sheet! That all important packet of papers we run to pick up after a contest. With grueling anticipation we dive into it. The front page tells the story, where we finished in each category, where we finished on our table, total scores…data, data, data and we dig to digest it as quickly as possible…. But, where did we finish overall? So we shift to the overall ranking page and search with hope that our name is near the top 10 already called…. Praying that we don’t have the dreaded… “page flip” and wind up near the bottom, or God forbid.. Last!
It’s what we do, every contest and the excuses, and justifications are mostly the same every week… it’s bad judging, certainly not my BBQ, it was the best I’ve ever cooked. They don’t know good BBQ…. or do they?
Can you imagine if two months prior to your competition, the six judges that will be at your table for chicken came to your house to help you dial in what they are looking for? I mean, not only do they come over, but they stay as you cook your chicken for them and they evaluate it right there for you. You keep cooking and they keep giving you feedback until there is a consensus that when you turn in the chicken you’ve worked on with their guidance, they are all going to give you 999.
If such a scenario were possible, you would be completely attentive to what the judges are looking for. They are JUDGING you. Your personal preferences would not come close to entering into the recipe. You may want lots of sauce, but they want light sauce and close to dry. You like sweet, they like heat. Who cares what you want, you’re cooking light sauce and heat. You can be stubborn and bull headed and stay with heavy sauce and sweet, but you know what the scores will be, they are telling you 7’s on taste if you do that.
What a gift it would be if that were the case. What a joy to know the outcome ahead of the contest. The awards ceremony would take on a whole new level of excitement for all of us.
Truth is, we are all in a much more significant contest called “Life”, and Jesus is going to Judge each and every one of us. The scenario I just painted for BBQ is available for each of us, with a much greater GC on the line. The Bible is a treasure of insight and detail to exactly what God wants for our lives. He holds nothing back about how He wants us to live, treat others and tell people about Him. He is willing to work on us, with us, until we get it right. God wants us to have a perfect 999 when we show up at His doorstep.
19 So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21 For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. [John 5:19-24 NLT]
My prayer for each of you is that you pick up the bible and read for yourself what God’s plan is for YOU! Go to God in prayer asking Him to get into you, what He needs you to have through His word. God is faithful and will answer that prayer when you give Him your whole heart in surrender to His will. Jesus is there as our Lord and Savior awaiting the best decision you can make. The last walk we make depends on it! What are you waiting for? Give it to God!
It’s what we do, every contest and the excuses, and justifications are mostly the same every week… it’s bad judging, certainly not my BBQ, it was the best I’ve ever cooked. They don’t know good BBQ…. or do they?
Can you imagine if two months prior to your competition, the six judges that will be at your table for chicken came to your house to help you dial in what they are looking for? I mean, not only do they come over, but they stay as you cook your chicken for them and they evaluate it right there for you. You keep cooking and they keep giving you feedback until there is a consensus that when you turn in the chicken you’ve worked on with their guidance, they are all going to give you 999.
If such a scenario were possible, you would be completely attentive to what the judges are looking for. They are JUDGING you. Your personal preferences would not come close to entering into the recipe. You may want lots of sauce, but they want light sauce and close to dry. You like sweet, they like heat. Who cares what you want, you’re cooking light sauce and heat. You can be stubborn and bull headed and stay with heavy sauce and sweet, but you know what the scores will be, they are telling you 7’s on taste if you do that.
What a gift it would be if that were the case. What a joy to know the outcome ahead of the contest. The awards ceremony would take on a whole new level of excitement for all of us.
Truth is, we are all in a much more significant contest called “Life”, and Jesus is going to Judge each and every one of us. The scenario I just painted for BBQ is available for each of us, with a much greater GC on the line. The Bible is a treasure of insight and detail to exactly what God wants for our lives. He holds nothing back about how He wants us to live, treat others and tell people about Him. He is willing to work on us, with us, until we get it right. God wants us to have a perfect 999 when we show up at His doorstep.
19 So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. 21 For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants. 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. [John 5:19-24 NLT]
My prayer for each of you is that you pick up the bible and read for yourself what God’s plan is for YOU! Go to God in prayer asking Him to get into you, what He needs you to have through His word. God is faithful and will answer that prayer when you give Him your whole heart in surrender to His will. Jesus is there as our Lord and Savior awaiting the best decision you can make. The last walk we make depends on it! What are you waiting for? Give it to God!
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