- Morning Devotional
- April 29,
2005
"The Back Roads"
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My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart, for they will give you a long and satisfying life. Never let loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will gain a good reputation. Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:1-6 NLT).
I am just now learning some of the roads of my new home. One of the things that seems very odd to me is how some of the streets change names with no warning. In fact within just a few miles of my home one street changes names three times within a two mile stretch! That makes navigating the back roads pretty tough. Even a map can be deceiving. What might look like a very easy route on paper is anything but that in when you try it. Sometimes the back roads don’t work at all.
Life is like that sometimes. We often see what looks like a quick way to success or an easy way out of a situation, but it often leads to disappointment and frustration. The best direction to follow in life is always the path of Christ. The path of Christ is sometimes paved with tears and struggles, but in the end, when we get to the other side, we will clearly see that His way was and is best.
I remember seeing a television program not long ago featuring blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing, impossible as that sounds. Paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, "Left!" and "Right!" As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skiers' word. It was either complete trust or catastrophe.
What a vivid picture of the Christian life! In this world, we are in reality blind about what course to take. We must rely solely on the Word of the only One who is truly sighted--God Himself. His Word gives us the direction we need to finish the course. Reexamine your life today. There really aren’t any shortcuts to success. Trust in the one who can see all the way to the end of your journey. He won’t let you down!
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