Road rules

God made our hearts to dream. Big dreams! Great things! Let’s be honest. What Christian says, “I want to barely be saved, live a go-along-to-get-along Christian life, and make it into heaven by the skin of my teeth.” The true believer wants to do meaningful things for a great God.

When we belong to God and have been declared righteous by our trust in the finished work of Christ, he directs our paths. Sometimes, the paths may not be fully illuminated at first. The way may seem confusing. Fear covers the trail like dense fog.

We established in yesterday’s passage that the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. Fear of God is not cowering in a corner; it is a reverent awe. We acknowledge that God alone is God, and we worship him; that is, we honor him as worthy of our praise and gratitude in every area of our lives. From the position of reverent awe, we strive to acquire wisdom.

Lives are at stake. Fools on the road ignore the rules of the road. And that is how it is with all of life. When you ignore life’s road rules, you will end up doing some foolish and dangerous things. Our passage today reminds us that the beginning of true knowledge and understanding begins with a proper awe and reverence for God.

Road signs…they are everywhere. Did you know 500 federally approved road signs are in use today? They tell us when to stop, slow down, and yield. Some tell us to change lanes or take an exit. Others tell us the road we need to take is closed, or the road we don’t need to take is now open.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the bestseller, Prayer of Jabez. It’s a book about an honorable man in the Old Testament who cried out to God, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” (1 Chron. 4:10). We like prayers that ask for more influence, impact, and opportunity, don’t we? But I doubt you are familiar with the prayer of Agur.

So, it’s time to change course. God’s great mercy is just a step away from secret sin. When you admit your sin and walk away from it, you will find the relief of forgiveness. Instead of the stress of hiding your sin, restoration will come to your contrite soul. Instead of hiding in the darkness, you can walk openly in the freedom of obedience. It’s time to stop the secret games and make the journey home to God’s welcoming arms of mercy.  

So how are you doing? You up there on the mountaintop of career…you up there with the trophies of accomplishment. Be careful up there in the heights! A slippery slope surrounds the peak of success. It’s a long, hard, painful slide to the bottom. If you are not careful, success will produce pride, and pride always comes before a fall. 

Becoming a Christian is a gift. Growing as a Christian is hard work. It calls for sacrifice. Your time, talents, and treasures belong to God. It calls for an engaged mind and ignited heart. It calls for rekindling the fire in your soul.