I still remember this phrase from the time I was in the business world that always made me think. In a way it drove me to make sure that we remained ahead in a tough market. That phrase is competitive advantage.

Let me use a simple example to explain what it means. Our children and the neighbour’s children are selling lemonade on the sidewalk. The question each group has to ask is why the client would prefer to buy their cooldrink. Maybe the one group decides to make their price lower than that of the other. The other group might say let’s make sure our product tastes the best.

The first group’s competitive advantage is price and they will attract clients for whom price is important. The second group’s competitive advantage is taste or quality and they will attract clients for whom these characteristics are important. To understand it even better, we can compare the two groups to supermarkets. We can name the two groups: The first group is like Shoprite and the second, like Woolworths.

Each group has its own specific characteristics.

If I ask others what is God’s competitive advantage, which of God’s characteristics attracts you most, I will get many different responses, of which love and grace would probably be the most prominent. For me personally, it is grace.

I know myself. I know how much I’ve done wrong. I know that God should’ve spit me out long ago, because I’m not actually warm nor cold. I know I’m not nearly reaching my potential and is often too selfish to do what I’m called to do.

But God holds on. When I kneel before Him, hat in hand, not even looking up at Him, God cannot do otherwise but give me another chance. God is a God of chances. God hands out forgiveness. He gives it freely to us sinners.

That’s his advantage that puts Him above all others, and the reason why we sinners have no choice but to run into his arms every time. God hasn’t given up, but keeps the safety net beneath us every day. He keeps hoping that we’ll come back to Him today. And because today may indeed be the day that we’ll realise the enormity of his promise to us, He’ll keep coming after us.

He longs for us to rest with Him in heaven one day. That’s the promise He made. It’s not a promise He only made to his people long ago. Nope, He makes this promise to each of us every day, today, again and again.

That is God’s advantage. He renews his offer to you and to me every day, today as well. Let’s take it. Let’s make it part of our lives. Let’s share in God’s advantage and say “yes” when He calls us.

⁶So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. ⁷God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation: Today, please listen, don’t turn a deaf ear …

Scripture
Hebrews 4:1-6

Reflection
What do you think is God’s competitive advantage?
Is He part of your life?
And for the people around you?

Prayer
Our Father, how great You are! I want to praise You, because mercy and love flow from You. Thank you for giving it to me. Thank you for pouring Your promises over me again and again. I will rest with You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.