Square One

There are different opinions as to where and when this little idiom in our title originated, but all agree to its meaning. It’s simply defined as “going back to the beginning, to start again.” This is necessitated by our proneness to wander; to go our own way, if you please. As someone has said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Because of this disposition to stray, God is constantly calling us back (dragging some) to His original intent for us. And this is true, not just in one area of our Christian life, but in all quarters. I believe most of the reason for this roaming is our not being objective enough in our reading, listening to teachers and our conversations in general.

Don’t you think much of this stems from our discontentment with God’s will for us? Many routinely want to be someone else, somewhere else, and doing something else. Thus, we are so easily influenced away from God’s design for our lives. The proverbial saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side,” must have originated with a Christian, one of His sheep.

It says of the prodigal, “When he came to himself,” he returned to the starting place. He, “Himself.” Not someone else!” Don’t try to return in someone else’s garb!