Sunday, July 19, 2015

Sunday Slience

Something was telling us, "Go to Arrowhead at 1:00."  But no, this time we were doing due diligence. Today we checked the Facebook page for Winners Cardroom - not once, but several times. There were no posts since Saturday morning, so we felt comfortable driving there for the 4:00 p.m. tournament promised on the Winners website.

And when we arrived.... the doors were locked. No one else even showed up, as we waited until 4:15. The poker room, without any explanation, was closed.  But Arrowhead Poker apparently had its 1:00 p.m. game as usual, with cash games going hours later.

Once again we fell victim to a shifting schedule -- only this time, silence meant no game. The good news is we didn't lose any money. But we lost a bit of time making the drive, and missed out on an opportunity to share the things of God around the table.

Do you have times when it seems God is silent? When you ask for answers or guidance in life, and there doesn't seem to be a response?  We can relate to that, having gone through a couple of long searches for employment in an area where playing poker for a living wasn't an option.  At those times, we're reminded....
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27:14


King David wrote those words, showing even "Bible All-Stars" faced times of waiting.  It even happened in New Testament times:
When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. - Acts 16:7


We're not told how this happened; there could have been everything from a vision to a hang-up with government paperwork.  But the apostle Paul went somewhere else, and then received instructions:
During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."  After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. - Acts 16:9-10


Wait in faith for an answer, praying to God for guidance, and we believe you'll eventually get it.  It could take awhile, but it will come.  In the meantime, we're enjoying s 73-cent "consolation cola" from a convenience store on a hot July day - a big cup we bought on the way home from the poker room.

No comments: