“As for Me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself.”
John 12:32 (HCSB)
Series: Games People Play
“Do you have any sevens?” “Go fish!” Who remembers that card game? Maybe you still play it with your littles. The goal of this game is to collect and lay down the most sets of four of the same-numbered cards. When a set of four is complete, it’s called a book. The person with the most books at the end of the game is the winner!
We each have a hand to play and we start with the cards we’ve been dealt. God created each of us uniquely, with gifts, purpose, and relationships. He set us in place, and we venture out through life—learning, exploring, working, serving, building relationships, and making memories.
All of us “go fishing” throughout our journeys. We look for things we have in common with others—similar interests, like-mindedness, same goals, kindred passions. This common ground not only unifies us but also inspires us to keep going and propels us to learn more, do more, be more together.
As we invest in our relationships with our coinciding companions, we expand as individuals and our influence toward others grows. God created us for community—to work together and help each other. We need each other to perform the will, purpose, and plans of God.
This is good and scriptural. Several New Testament authors encourage us in this truth.
But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. (Ephesians 4:15 HCSB)
But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. (Hebrews 3:13 HCSB)
And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 HCSB)
Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. (1 Peter 4:10-11 HCSB)
Knowing this, there are a few things we ALL—believers and unbelievers—have in common:
- God created us all (Colossians 1:16)
- God loves us all (Romans 5:8)
- God knows us all (Psalm 139:1)
- God desires we all know Him and His saving grace (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
With this set of sameness, we can build a book with any other person on this earth. But we still have to find those who want to join our hand. We must ask, go, seek, and find.
Jesus, Himself, instructed us to go fish!
“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” (Mark 1:17)
“Go, therefore, and make discipeles of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19 HCSB)
It makes me think of the game in this way: “Got Jesus?” “Yes! Let me share with you what He’s done for me!” Next turn: “Got Jesus?” “No. Go fish.” Next turn: “Got Jesus?” “Yes! Let me bless you with His goodness!” And so the game is played…
As we go. we fish, we gather, and we build our book of coinciding testimonies until the game is done—won by God Almighty in His perfect time. We all need participants to play our games of “Go Fish.” The participants can be anyone and everyone we meet. In the end, we will lay our books down before the Lord and He will be declared the winner!
How can you build His kingdom this week? Who can you ask if they know Jesus? Is there someone you can pair up with and the two of you work together to gain a third and a fourth person? Let’s prayerfully seek God as we go fishing this week and let’s intentionally build our books for the kingdom of God!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: John 12:32; Ephesians 2:10, 4:15; Hebrews 3:13, 10:24-25; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Colossians 1:16; Romans 5:8; Psalm 139; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Mark 1:17; Matthew 28:19