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First Place
Exodus 20:1-6
Zack bolted into the kitchen where Mom and Dad
were already at the table. "Sorry I'm late," said Zack as he
went to wash his hands. When he returned, he grinned at his
parents. "In football practice today, I ran the ball for a
twenty-yard gain," he said. "I faked left, then I cut to the
right . . ." He grabbed a melon off the counter and
zigzagged across the kitchen to demonstrate.
Zack sank down in his chair with a happy sigh.
"I love football," he said. "Coach says you gotta make it
first place in your life if you really want to be good. He
says it can't be just talk. It's got to be practice,
practice, practice. Otherwise, when the big game comes,
you'll end up just watching from the sidelines. I want to
get in there and play!"
"Practice," murmured Dad. "Practice, practice,
practice. That's kind of like what the Lord expects of you,
too. Only He expects you to give Him-not football-first
place in your life."
"God expects us to practice something?" asked
Zack. "Like what?"
"Well, it takes a lot of effort to become the
person God wants you to be just like it does to become a
good football player," said Dad. "To become that kind of
person, you need to give God first place in your life. Like
the coach says, it can't be just talk. You really have to
give God first place and practice living the way He wants
you to live."
Zack frowned. "Are you saying there's
something wrong with football-and God expects me to give it
up?" he asked. He didn't like that idea at all. "I really
love football!" he added.
"There's nothing wrong with football unless
you put it ahead of God," Dad assured him. He grinned at
Zack. "In the 'game of life,' God wants you to be busy
playing-or maybe I should say working-for Him, whether
you're doing schoolwork, a Sunday school lesson, helping
with chores, or playing football. Be sensitive to what He
wants you to do and say, no matter where you are."
"Okay." Zack grinned. "I do want to get in
there and play on the football field, and I can see that I
should want to get in there and play for God, too-by doing
whatever He teaches me."
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