Yo-yo (Galatians 3:24-26)

His deft hand movements were perfectly timed with the background movement as he slowly walked across the stage to the sound of oohs and applause. I was not watching a dance performance. I was watching the final round of the United States National Yo-yo contest. Jaw-dropping would be an understatement. Here is the winner.

Evan Nagao – 1st Place – 1A Final – 2023 US National YoYo Contest – YouTube

As I watched the stunning performance, I thought back to my feeble and failed attempts to master the YoYo when I was a child. Walk the dog. Around the world. These were the seemingly complex tricks I attempted to master. One thing was absolutely clear. This was not your grandfather’s Yo-yo! It seems that regardless of the sport or activity, everything I attempted to do as a child is presently far more complex and difficult. Skateboarding is now an Olympic sport. There is ultimate frisbee. 

What about our faith? When God chose the Jewish people to demonstrate His grace and mercy to the world, He gave them the Law and commandments that Moses wrote down for all of the people to learn and follow. Many Jewish scholars state there are at least 613 commandments that a Jewish person must follow. It was to teach God’s people to be holy and separated from the rest of the world. It was a daunting task to obey all of God’s laws, but they must and if they failed and sinned, they had to seek forgiveness through the priests. There were continual animal sacrifices by both the sinner and the priests. It was very complex and difficult! Like the evolution of the Yo-yo, has faith in God become even more complex and difficult?

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 

Galatians 3:24-26 (NASB)

After thousands of years of following the Law, God once again intervened with His people. This time, instead of adding hundreds of new laws, He added only one more sacrifice. He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, as the supreme sacrifice to atone for our sins. The Law had served its purpose. It was given by God as a tutor to lead the Jews to the Cross and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The blood of bulls and goats could never completely take away our sins; the Law could never save us. We could never do it by our own efforts. God took the initiative to save us, to make us all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 

Unlike the Yo-yo, faith in God has become precise and simpler. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will receive salvation and eternal life.

Praise God!

Love and trust in the Lord; seek His will in your life.