Scrabble anyone?

The other night I did something that I know is going to make you think that I am strange. I couldn’t get my husband to play scrabble with me. We had played a few nights before that and he beat me! It’s not that I have to win, but I do not like to lose…..Well, for whatever reason he wouldn’t play again. So, I just decided to play by myself. Yes, I know that is weird, but it was fun. Really. I decided to only make words that pertained to being a Christian. ( I learned that there aren’t enough “Y’s” for all the words I could think of. And no, I did not keep score. : )

Well, God always has a way of teaching me and making a lesson out of the simplest things. He did the same with this simple game of scrabble.

When you play, you choose 7 tiles to start with and whoever goes first has to lay that first very important word out on the board. It is the “foundation” so to speak of the rest of the game. Everything else after that is essentially building upon that word.

As Christians, the foundation that we first lay as a child of God, has to be solid and firm. Our foundation has to be on that solid rock of Jesus. We have to plant ourselves solidly in the Word of God, so that we can not be moved. We have to take the Word and guard it so it can not be snatched away from us. We have to make sure that our foundation is strong.

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

After we make sure that our foundation will hold, we begin building upon it layer by layer. Each step we take toward spiritual growth is just like adding words to that scrabble board. We take what is already there and build upon it. We can even take a word that is already there and add to it and strengthen it. That is just how our life should be as a Christian. Constantly adding to and reinforcing our foundation with things that we learn or that Christ has shown us through bible study or experiences.

Another thing that I thought about, was the fact that you can only build upon what is already there. You can’t just put a word in a corner by itself. It can not stand alone. It has to be connected to what is already being built. That is just how we are to construct our lives. We have to utilize what is already being laid out and already built and add to it. We have to constantly be using our experiences and growth as stepping stones to the next level. We build upon what we have and only make it stronger. We use the existing structure and expand and edify.

The finished product is one big puzzle. Even though there are many, many words IN it, it is still one piece all connected together. Each word producing the means to make another word. Each word strengthening the next. Each word built upon that solid foundation of the first word.

Our first word is Jesus. He is our rock. He is what we build upon. He is the one who strengthens us and keeps us connected to the Father. He is our foundation.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)

Joyfully His,
Beth