Looking at phrases with a different perspective…
By Melissa Cotter

Why do we put the ball in God’s court, He’s already won the game. We just need to know what team we will have played with when the buzzer sounds.
I heard today in a prayer, “God save them,” and I’ve heard in past similar statements. While no harm is intended with this prayer, do we stop and realize that God has already saved them (everyone)? God, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost have already worked a great deal on the behalf of those who have accepted the Gospel as their lifestyle and those who have not.
We ask God to save souls, to find the lost, to do this and that. What makes you think He hasn’t already accomplished this task, and how often do we ask anything of those living an ungodly life, since it is their choice? God already gave His love and salvation. What words do we offer in regards to how God has already set up a plan and purpose for their life? My guess is not a whole lot, and I say this in reflection of myself.
Before we can speak with confidence to those who turn away the love and salvation God offers, we need to own to the fact that God has already done His part. He has already handed out a path of salvation; the ball is in their court. We don’t choose who God saves and doesn’t, He took care of everyone when Christ said it is finished, sacrificing more than we could ever know while hanging from a cross, offering His blood and body.
Next time you feel the tendency to pray for what you might think is a “lost soul,” realize they are not lost. God knows where they are, and though they may be deceived, God has given them the same precious gift of a loving salvation with admission into heaven. Of course, it balances on their choices.

Leaving off with the thought of choices, makes me ponder more on God giving free will. We have the Lord’s will for our lives, we have what we perceive as His will along with our own, and then we have the guidance already laid out with Scripture.
I read a church sign on my way to work every day. Many times the message is uplifting or provokes me into deep thought at 6:15 a.m., which is pretty good work considering I’m still half asleep at this time. Once I read a comment in regards to Jesus controlling everything. I was a little bothered by the statement.
I thought to myself, if Jesus is in control of everything wouldn’t that mean He is making choices for us? I have read a number of times through Scripture there are those who follow after His will and others who turn from Him.
He is said to be a gentleman, giving free choice to people. Yes, He wants the best for us and for us to be our best, similar to a parent and child, but if He is in control of everything it takes away from our consequences and rewards connected to our own actions.
Though Jesus is all-powerful and can work miracles in our lives, He usually is able to help “control” our lives when we are hand and hand walking with His steps making the choice to change ourselves from the inside to the out.


Okay, so I drove past this church sign this morning. It said, “Serving two masters will leave you half-hearted.” Pretty clever, but my first reaction was that Scripture tells us that we cannot serve two masters. It isn’t a possibility. If we are half-hearted with God then we aren’t serving Him as our master, leaving us with only one master, (if you can do the math).
If you love God with all your heart, you will keep His commandments. It doesn’t say if you love God for this part of your life and this corner of your heart you will keep some of His commandments. We really need to have our thoughts and desires in check when it comes to serving God as our master. He cannot be played.
He said that if you are luke-warm, He is going to spit you out. That means it’s an all or nothing lifestyle with the Lord. I’m not sure “half-hearted” servants will make Heaven their permanent home; just a thought.