October 24 - Guessing Game
October 24
Guessing Game
Bible Reading: Isaiah 46:3-10
3“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb: 4Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you. 5“To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal? 6They lavish gold out of the bag,And weigh silver on the scales;They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.7They bear it on the shoulder, they carry itAnd set it in its place, and it stands;From its place it shall not move.Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answerNor save him out of his trouble.8“Remember this, and show yourselves men;Recall to mind, O you transgressors.9Remember the former things of old,For I am God, and there is no other;I am God, and there is none like Me,10Declaring the end from the beginning,And from ancient times things that are not yet done,Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,And I will do all My pleasure,’
IN THE MOOD for a quick guessing game? Let's try it.
You already know that a pattern is a form or a model that's imitated in making something else. For example, you may use a pattern to make a dress. You may use a cookie cutter to make cookies in a certain "pattern." Right? Well, let's play a guessing game about different kinds of patterns. Circle the answers you think are correct.
1. The pattern for the shape of an airplane is
a. the shape of an ocean vessel.
b. the human body.
c. the body of a bird.
2. The pattern for a duck hunter's decoy is
a. Donald Duck.
b. Daffy Duck.
c. a real duck.
3. The pattern for everything that is "good" and "right" is
a. individual opinion.
b. human tradition.
c. the nature and character of God.
You probably don't have to be told that the shape of an airplane is patterned mostly after the body of a bird, and that the pattern for a duck hunter's decoy is the shape and coloring of a real duck. Similarly, the pattern for everything that is "good" and "right" is the nature and character of God.
In other words, we should not compare our behavior to what our friends do to figure out whether we're doing right or wrong. We shouldn't compare our actions to what our government says is OK. God is the only true pattern for what's right and what's wrong. He is the one we should compare our beliefs and behavior to because His goodness and righteousness show us what is good and right.
It's simple. If a thing's like God, it's right. If it's not like God, it's wrong. As long as God is your pattern for right and wrong, you can't go wrong. Right? Right.
REFLECT: Have you ever tried to figure out right from wrong by using some pattern besides God? Have you ever tried to measure your behavior by your feelings? by what "everyone else" is doing? by what your friends or teachers say? By something else? How do those "patterns" measure up when compared to God?
PRAY: "Dear God, please help me to remember that You are the only true pattern for what's good and right. Help me to always compare what I think and say and do to You and to become more and more like You every day, as Your Spirit helps me."