Who’s Turn Is It To Move?

Almost any time a group of people sit down to play a game, regardless of the game, there’s one phrase that is probably repeated more than any other. “Who’s turn is it to move?”

Years ago when my wife’s granddad was alive, the three of us got together a number of times to play Dominos. Not the game where you place them on their edge, line them up and knock them down. No, we actually played the version that entails adding the spots, trying to place a domino that would make the count on the table a multiple of 5, and continue playing until someone reached 500 points.

Sometimes my mind works faster than other times. But it seemed like it was a “slow mind day” every time we’d play Granddad. I’d sit at the table, dominos in front of me, trying to figure out my next move. Pretty soon I’d hear him say, “Play one, look at the rest.” Of course that really meant, “It’s your turn to move, so hurry up.” This was funny to my wife and I, because Granddad always took longer than anyone else when it was his turn.

I got to thinking about this today when my mind wandered over to thoughts about the Kingdom of God, and then the Move of God. I realize neither the Kingdom or the Move is a game, but, sorry, my mind sometimes works this way.

In my mind, I began remembering the different ways God has “moved” throughout history. I’ll share, briefly, a few “for instances” to help explain my point.

The first “move” to discuss was when the children of Israel were in the desert, on their way to the promised land. Remember the story? God’s people were led by the Pillar of Cloud by day, and the Pillar of Cloud by night. The Pillar moved, then the congregation, under Moses’ leadership, moved.

Another time, in Numbers 13 and 14, the Lord moved when the 12 spies returned. The movement began when Joshua and Caleb said, “the land is just like God said; so let’s rise up and take it because we are well able.” It then became the congregation’s turn to move. However, they forfeited their move through doubt and unbelief. Later, they decided to “try it” anyway, not realizing it wasn’t their move any longer. That move cost them about 30 lives…

God “moved” upon David’s heart, after he was installed as the new king, to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. It was David’s turn to move, but, according to 2 Samuel 6, David didn’t move according to God’s plan and it cost the life of Uzzah. Later, though, God moved again upon David and, this time, David followed God’s instruction. As a result, a greater move took place as the Lord watched over Jerusalem from His place between the cherubim.

Fast forward several hundred years to another “move” planned by the Lord. The Angel appeared to Mary, giving her news from the very Throne of God. I can’t imagine what went through her head as she listened. The Lord was preparing another “move”, a move that would change the world and the universe! So, God took His turn to move as the Angel spoke His plans.

Now it was Mary’s turn. And move she did. She said, “Be it unto me according to Thy Word.” Her move was to believe and receive the Word of the Lord.

Down through the centuries, in various ways, places, and times, God has “moved” upon a group of people to begin to carry out His plans and purposes for His Kingdom. I believe we’re fast approaching another “move”, maybe the final “move” for this age as we know it.

But who’s turn is it to move? What if we’re all sitting around the table, dominos in front of us, waiting for the Lord to take His turn, when, in fact, it’s really our turn to move? What if we’re waiting for a huge cosmic sign from Heaven, a lightning bolt, a prophetic word, an itch on the bottom of our foot; whatever else someone might take as a sign, to declare to us it’s now our turn?

I will simply say, “play one, look at the rest.” It’s our turn to move! We have His Word telling us to go. He’s even told us where to go, “into all the world”, and how to go, “in My Name”. If we wait, we could end up forfeiting our turn, which, as we have seen, can be very costly!

Yes, God has times and seasons in which He does specific things. But the specific thing He is really focused on right now, today, 2013, is reaching someone else with Life. He’s taken His turn by sending His Son and raising Him from the dead. He then sent the Spirit of God to lead us and empower us.

IT IS OUR TURN TO MOVE!!!