We all know those people who always win every game they play... I once had a friend who loved to brag that he has never lost a competition on the radio. He would always get a few Rand here and win another voucher. He even won a car at one point! But he had one problem with "Lady Luck" at his side; he ALWAYS for got to claim the prize! That car he one, was forfeited because he never went and claimed the prize. All his vouchers and cash, never claimed because he always forgot to go and pick up his winnings or send his banking details. We always joked that Lady Luck was on his left and Murphy's Law was on his right. To this day, he still drives his same beaten up old car and forgot to claim that fuel voucher...
We all have moments like this though (although not as regularly) but we forget important things, we leave behind something that can be extremely valuable to us because we forget, we forget why we do something and we forget what is important to us. I still remember how excited my friend was, he messaged everyone that he FINALLY got a new car. It was a major milestone for him and he was extremely excited to drive in his new car. But before long he was forced to keep driving the one he had because he forgot. Not always on purpose, but there were days when he intentionally said "I'll pick it up tomorrow, I still have time." But then his time ran out and something that could have been a valuable asset in his life was gone (although he never really had it).
Sometimes it can be like that in our faith as well. We forget why we follow Jesus and before long we have strayed from the path He has laid out for us. We get so caught up in the tradition and routine of being a Christian (going to church, praying before we eet, reading the bible each day, etc.) It all becomes a routine. In Jeremiah 2:4-13 we read about the extreme of forgetting everything the Lord has done for us and how we can easily forget our "why". A nation turning away from God and forgetting what He has done for us. We need to ask ourselves on a daily basis: "Am I truly capturing the living water or am I just building empty barrels?" I.e. Am I really following Christ or just going with the motions. It is easy to win the competition, all you have to do is enter. And we have entered, we say we're Christians, so the competition is already WON! But did we claim our prize? Are we truly claiming our prize on a daily basis?
So the challenge for this week:
Challenge the way in which you live your faith. We always get what we pursue, if your chasing happiness, you'll find it. If you're chasing riches, you'll find it. Similarly, if you're chasing God, YOU WILL FIND HIM! So focus on what you want to pursue, focus on pursuing God. Challenge the way in which you live your faith this week and search deeper for God, in your Bible, in the people around you and in your everyday activities. Chase God and go claim your Prize this week!