One little mistake...

I like mahjong. I find it interesting and challenging. A friend of mine introduced me to the game years ago. I played it for hours on his computer, long after he had turned in for the night. I play it when I can. It can be a nice diversion from the stress of my day, and yet, it can often add to the stress of my day.

At any rate, I finally got sick of my old computer and upgraded to a newer one which, to my delight, came with a very nice mahjong game. I've had the new computer for a couple of weeks now, and I've played mahjong at least a half a dozen times so far, yet I have only beaten the game once. Tonight, in fact. This was the catalyst for my post.

When you lose this game a window pops up and asks you whether you would like to simply quit or go back to the game and try to win again. Up until tonight, I've always just quit. Tonight, however, I decided to try to figure out how to win. I returned to the game and backed up move by move to see where I went wrong. Some of you can see where I'm headed with this already...aren't you clever!

Anyway, I found an interesting parallel. There was essentially ONE wrong move that prohibited me from winning the game. One little mistake and that was it. I had virtually no chance of succeeding from that point on. Life is like that for many people. If they go back far enough, they'll be able to identify that one step that led them down the wrong path to failure. Unlike mahjong, however, life doesn't come with a reset button...or does it?

God's grace is available to all who confess their sins (mistakes, wrong moves) and accept Jesus Christ as Lord. Jesus is the ultimate reset button. The great "do-over" when it seems like "game over." Thankfully, God is not waiting for us to slip up and say "Aha! Now I gotcha!" That's the enemy's game. And he does have us in his trap unless we choose the only way out. THE way, THE truth, THE life, and THE light: Christ Jesus. God has given us a way out because He loves us that much. Yes, he expects us to get right and put off the old man and put on the new. You can't have it both ways, folks. Still, once you live in the light you'll begin to wonder how you ever got around in the darkness.

Retrace your steps. Find out where and when you went wrong and get right with God. You'll be glad you did. It's the only way to play to win.