It’s your move…

The God we love and serve is the God of the first move. He loved us first, he saw us first while we were still in our sin, and he made the first move to set us free.

There is this treasure of a story in John 1 where a man by the name of Nathaniel questions if anything good could come out of Nazareth. He is so focused on a preconceived reputation of the town that he misses seeing the Messiah….until Jesus calls out who he is and defines Nathaniel as a man without deceit. Jesus saw Nathaniel long before Nathaniel saw Jesus but when he called forth who he was, Nathaniel recognized him as the Son of God. Jesus made the first move that allowed Nathaniel to see him.

The one who made us and loves us, sees us and accurately defines us, longs for us to believe we are who he says we are.

Jesus made the first move and Nathaniels faith followed.

Our God always makes the first move and invites us to respond. He came into the world as a baby to live among us and show us what we are called to do. Our move is to do what he did and greater.

He made the first move toward our forgiveness as he died a sinners death so we could have eternal life. Our move is to receive the salvation he so dearly paid for.

It’s your move to believe you are who he says you are…washed, forgiven, a beloved child of the most high, deeply loved and highly favored, appointed and anointed to set the captives free.

He saw you first, just as he did Nathaniel. Now it’s your move to believe you are who he says you are, to believe you are called to what he did and greater.

““Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”” - John‬ ‭1:46-51‬ ‭NIV‬‬