The game Jenga teaches many lessons. If you’ve ever played a quick round, you know there is always a moment when things turn sideways and collapse becomes inevitable. Maybe someone takes a piece from too far down the tower for the top to be properly supported; maybe it’s an inadvertent brush that knocks things off kilter in a way that can’t be brought back to plumb. No matter what, we know there is going to be a crash.
In our lives, sometimes choices made consciously or unconsciously close good doors and open less desirable doors down the road. Bad habits blossom into bigger problems. Failing to follow medical advice leads to more illness. Withholding forgiveness leads to the destruction of friendships. We choose things and often don’t even realize a choice has been made, but when choices knock things out of plumb, a collapse is inevitable.
How encouraging it is to remember, then, that God already knows you, the sum total of things you’ve done and left undone, and still offers you strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. How relieving to know that even when we turn away and our love fails, God’s love remains steadfast. It might be hard for us to set things right in a game of Jenga or in our lives, yet God has grace even for you, the people in this church community have mercy and compassion even for each other, and God has transformative, life-giving plans to set things right, even for you.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ben
Scripture for your consideration:
We’re praying that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.
Colossians 1:10-14 (CEB)
The Freedom to Run