One morning at 6:30 I was making chicken stew when I heard the phrase “know when to fold ’em.” I knew this was a gambling term, and I also knew Holy Spirit had dropped this phrase into my mind.

 

 

 

 

One of the ways you can discern the voice of the Lord is when you hear something come across your mind that is not something you would be thinking or saying to yourself. I don’t play poker, so this poker phrase certainly got my attention.

 

This poker phrase means “know when your cards are good enough to play and when they are not good enough to play, and you should just fold (drop out of the hand).” The phrase became known for recognizing when your situation is strong enough to persevere or too weak to continue.   

 

I found myself in a situation in the past few months when I needed to know when to “fold ’em,” and by God’s grace I had the strength to “get out of the game and know when to run.”

 

My cards weren’t “good enough to play,” and it became time to “fold ’em.” My situation certainly wasn’t strong enough to persevere and was weak enough to get out.

 

Hard life decisions require “seeing your hand for what it is.”

 

Kenny Roger’s song the Gambler lyrics say “know when to hold ’em know when to fold ’em and know when to run. You never count your money when you are sitting at the table. There will be time enough for counting when the dealing is done.”

 

The Gambler won Kenny Rogers a Grammy award and best country vocal performance in 1980. The song was written by Don Schlitz when he was 23 years old in 1976.

 

 

 

 

If you are hyper religious, you may be offended by this video and song. I found it spiritually powerful as I listened to it over and over trying to grab hold of what God had spoken to me earlier in the day.

 

The great news is that God isn’t religious. We would be more earthly good if we were a lot less religious and more down to earth and real.

 

I suggest you listen several times to this powerful song and hear what the Lord might be speaking to you. There is some life truth that can penetrate your soul and make a difference.

 

The older I get, hopefully the wiser. I am getting much quicker at knowing when to “fold ’em and knowing when to run.”

 

The Gambler – Kenny Rogers with Lyrics – Bing video