Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Genesis 5:24
“Nobody is wholly satisfied with himself. Our lives are made up of lights and shadows, of some good days and many unsatisfactory days. We have learned that the good days and hours come when we are very close to Christ, and that the poor days come whenever we push Him out of our thoughts. Clearly, then, the way to a more consistent high level is to take Him into everything we do or say or think.
Experience has told us that good resolutions are not enough. We need to discipline our lives to an ordered regime. The ‘Game with Minutes’ is a rather lighthearted name for such a regime in the realm of the spirit. Many of us have found it to be enormously helpful. It is a new name for something as old as Enoch, who ‘walked with God.’ It is a way of living which nearly everybody knows and nearly everybody had ignored. Students will at once recognize it as a fresh approach to Brother Lawrence’s ‘Practicing the Presence of God.’
We call this a ‘game’ because it is a delightful experience and an exhilarating spiritual exercise; but we soon discover that it is far more than a game. Perhaps a better name for it would be ‘an exploratory expedition,’ because it opens out into what seems at first like a beautiful garden; then the garden widens into a country; and at last we realize that we are exploring a new world. This may sound like poetry, but it is not overstating what experience has shown us.
Some people have compared it to getting out of a dark prison and beginning to LIVE. We still see the same world, yet it is not the same, for it has a new glorious color and a far deeper meaning. Thank God, this adventure is free for everybody, rich or poor, wise or ignorant, famous or unknown, with a good past or a bad — ‘Whosoever will, may come.’ The greatest thing in the world is for everybody!”
Frank C. Laubach (1884-1970) in Letters By A Modern Mystic (Feedbooks: 2009) letter entitled, “How We Win The Game With Minutes.”
I got to attend the Colorado Prayer Luncheon yesterday. It was a huge gathering that included the governor, the mayor, and many familiar faces.
I sat at the table of a patriarch who like Enoch has “walked faithfully with God.” He is still with us because God still does great work through him.
What I appreciate most about this brother who will remain unnamed is what he says whenever we meet up. “I just want to be found faithful” or something like that.
Life it a “game” for him. It’s exhilarating and he enjoys every minute. He’s a keen businessman who does deals to generate resources to expand God’s kingdom.
Why cite his example today? Think about someone you know who has shown you how to really LIVE, someone who plays this game with minutes focused only on faithfulness.
Thank them for their influence in your life. Thank them for their example and commitment. Thank them for helping you win the game with minutes while you still have time.