By: Rex Stump
Wauseon, Ohio
What common object can be found at an arcade, Walmart lobby, a restaurant, and a rest stop? The Claw game!
What is the Claw game? It’s a game that my kids (especially when they were younger) begged to play. Basically, it’s a large container filled with prizes, usually stuffed animals, and a “claw” or crane. To win, you deposit your quarters into the game.
You now control the claw’s direction, moving the claw above the prize you desire. Once you’ve moved the claw to its hovering position, you hit the big green button!
This causes the claw to drop onto your desired prize. The claw moves down and makes a closing motion with its three prongs and then raises up, hopefully securing and lifting your prize.
However, it seems that 9 out of 10 times it fails. The claw isn’t exactly strong, and the prizes are typically odd shaped and bulky. Then what happens? My child says, “Dad, can I try again? Pleeeeease!!!”
Sometimes loving others is like the claw game. I deposit my time and sometimes money into an effort to love someone. I drop my love on them and sometimes no matter how hard I try, it seems that I did nothing to win their love.
Here’s the next question, Do you give up on loving people and walk away? Or do you have an attitude like a child – “Can I try again?!”
God’s love is relentless! He hovers over us, sends down His love upon us and “boom” – nine out of ten times we don’t budge.
But God’s love is relentless for us. My sin may weigh me down, and sometimes the weight of other things holds me down, but God’s love continues. Praise God that His love endures forever! His love is faithful!
What about your love for others? You may empty your pockets, trying and trying, until you get that stuffed toy. Will you empty yourself in effort to love others?
Countless hours, numerous miles, and relentless pursuit. Because God loves us, we love others. God has called us to not give up and to continue to love others!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 118:1
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 1 John 5:1
“Stay strong, stay focused…stay faithful!”
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Rex Stump is the Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serves as a Pastor at True North Church in Wauseon, Ohio.