APPLES TO APPLES: One of our new friends at Grace Bible Church introduced us to the table game, "Apples to Apples" at our Home Group last evening. In the game there is a fully empowered judge whose decision is absolute and final. Players are permitted to try to persuade the judge's decision. After several less than veiled inferences to Illinois politics, we played the game and we soon learned that it did little good to appeal to the judge's mercy. In fact, the one at the table who never even once appealed to the judge at all was the one who finally won the game. I am joyfully adoring God this morning because He is a far different Judge. He is full of mercy and grace. "There are two things of which God is said to have the monopoly: He is 'the God of all grace' and He is 'the God of all comfort.' All grace comes from Him, all lasting comfort comes from Him." When the game really counts (the game of life), I have every hope of pleading my cause and winning my appeal. Like David said, "His mercies are new every morning." Well, in case you wondered, I didn't win 'Apples to Apples'. Maybe next time I'll learn just to keep quiet and hope for the judge's mercy. Not!! I never intend to keep quiet, but daily plead my cause to The Judge that really counts.