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Level Up with God

I'm a closet gamer. I don't mean the new, hard-core, spend-time-around-the-clock gaming. I prefer the old school games. Growing up, I spent hours navigating Mario and Luigi through various levels of the Mushroom Kingdom. As I got older, Sonic the Hedgehog was my favorite obsession. I also enjoyed the Lion King for Sega Genesis. Can you guess how old I am? The most frustrating thing about the Lion King game was leveling up. Level three was as far as my skill would carry me. Being something of a perfectionist, I soon lost interest in the game because I found it impossible to move forward. Stay with me; I promise I have a point!
In praying about writing subjects at the start of the year, I felt the Lord leading me to discuss going to the next level in different areas of our life. Unlike my Lion King experience, you don't have to stay in the same stage without any hope of change. We have the resources at our disposal to level up. 

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. (2 Peter 1:3)

Because God wants us to move forward with Him, He has given us everything we need to be successful. The first stage of this game called life is making God our priority above everything else. If we are to advance, He must come first, going ahead of us to set the way. It's pretty clear throughout the Bible, and I see it every day in my life.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Allow me to provide some context here. The Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years because they were afraid to enter the land God had promised them. The generation that chose not to enter the next level had died, and God was renewing His covenant with the new generation. This sacred contract was delivered by Moses just before he died.

My favorite part about this verse is, "Oh, that you would choose life." What is life? Better yet, WHO is life?

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. (John 11:25)

I never thought about this correlation before. God made a covenant, a sacred promise, with the Israelites in the wilderness and ultimately fulfilled that covenant through His Son. We choose life, and God, when we look to Jesus in our every day walk. This includes getting away from negative influences and opting instead to be influenced by the things of God. We can study the Bible to know more about God and allow Him to speak to us through the pages of HIS story. Spend time talking to God. Don't just spout off prayers, but really take the time to talk to Him. And listen. He wants to talk to you, too. 

Above everything, if we want to level up in our walk with God, we must remember the sacrifice of Jesus and the promise He fulfilled on the cross and out of the tomb. Life. Oh, that you would choose it!

Prayer:
Dear Father, I thank you for the covenant of Life You have provided. Even though life is far from a game, I want to level up with You. Today, I choose You. I choose Jesus. Go before and set the way. Still my heart and give me ears to hear what You want to say to me. You, God, are my priority above all else. Thank You for what You are about to do in and through me. Amen.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

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