Day 230: Finding A Beginning: God's Way Or Your Way?
Read: Psalm 81
When have you ever wondered about the wisdom of beginning a new road, traveling down an untried, untested expanse of wilderness? You see before you an un surveyed expanse of land and you have this inner sense that you are the one called upon to do something about it - to make something out of an apparent nothing. Something that is placed on your heart that just wont go away and you are prepared to respond with an unequivocal "full speed ahead" action? I often wonder, historically,
what was on the mind of individuals 200 years ago who conceived of
carving a road out of the greatest expanse of wilderness called the Historic National Road? How did they find their way? How did they know where to begin cutting out those very first trees?
I know this sounds allot like a history lesson, but please bear with
me. The Historic National Road was the nation's first federally funded
interstate highway. It opened the nation to the west and became a
corridor for the movement of goods and people. It was begun in 1811
taking four decades to finish - "The Road That Built The Nation". It stretches from Baltimore, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois - 824 miles in
total. Through forest glades, over hills, over mountains, fording
rivers and streams and God knows what else. No chainsaws or bulldozers
or other road grading equipment. I wonder, if when looking at those
first trees, how they decided where they would begin cutting? How did they know, come to a consensus on which way was the right way to go?
If you have ever wondered about the wisdom of deciding to do things
God's way or your way, of the power and joy found in obedience to God's
way, then read over the Words of Psalm 81 which illustrates and
contrasts for us the greater wisdom of God's goodness versus the complete folly of mankind's waywardness. Read it over and over and let it sink in, let it settle in your heart. The lessons of the blessings of obedience, love and service are rich. We learn of the magnificent protective hand of our God. His heart is indescribable. But in the end, He does not force what is continually rejected, for God is the ultimate gentleman. When we are looking at our forests - we do have our wills. We do know very instinctively (all too distinctively), we are the correct place.
11 "But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey
Me. 12 “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk
in their own devices." Ask yourselves, when hearing God declare, "Do it your own way!" what goes through your spirit? It is the beginning of a new road for you, a new calling, a new
ministry, Man is saying to you "My way, my idea is better, go ahead, do
it your own way! We will see who whose way is better when...!" God's
ways versus our ways - where do we begin to cut the kingdom road out
of the worldly forest? What is it about us that still wants to things
our own way? Why do we fight so hard against the ways of God to begin our own Road to Salvation? Why do we find it so hard to believe our road to salvation is Jesus?
Let Us Pray: Psalm 81 - Lord, as I consider the vast forests, wildernesses before me, while I am pondering where I should start, while I am busy pre-planning my way over the hills and mountains, across the wide rivers and narrow streams,
while I am so hard at work convincing myself of the wholly better way
(my way) is the only place to start cutting out my road to Your glory
and and my salvation, help me to see the error and folly of my ways,
help me to bold and courageous enough to turn from them and help me to find,
help me to learn, help me to just live, experience, share the greater
wisdom of Your better way - through the greatest love of Jesus Christ
our Lord and Savior.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: Psalm 81
When have you ever wondered about the wisdom of beginning a new road, traveling down an untried, untested expanse of wilderness? You see before you an un surveyed expanse of land and you have this inner sense that you are the one called upon to do something about it - to make something out of an apparent nothing. Something that is placed on your heart that just wont go away and you are prepared to respond with an unequivocal "full speed ahead" action? I often wonder, historically, what was on the mind of individuals 200 years ago who conceived of carving a road out of the greatest expanse of wilderness called the Historic National Road? How did they find their way? How did they know where to begin cutting out those very first trees?
I know this sounds allot like a history lesson, but please bear with me. The Historic National Road was the nation's first federally funded interstate highway. It opened the nation to the west and became a corridor for the movement of goods and people. It was begun in 1811 taking four decades to finish - "The Road That Built The Nation". It stretches from Baltimore, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois - 824 miles in total. Through forest glades, over hills, over mountains, fording rivers and streams and God knows what else. No chainsaws or bulldozers or other road grading equipment. I wonder, if when looking at those first trees, how they decided where they would begin cutting? How did they know, come to a consensus on which way was the right way to go?
If you have ever wondered about the wisdom of deciding to do things God's way or your way, of the power and joy found in obedience to God's way, then read over the Words of Psalm 81 which illustrates and contrasts for us the greater wisdom of God's goodness versus the complete folly of mankind's waywardness. Read it over and over and let it sink in, let it settle in your heart. The lessons of the blessings of obedience, love and service are rich. We learn of the magnificent protective hand of our God. His heart is indescribable. But in the end, He does not force what is continually rejected, for God is the ultimate gentleman. When we are looking at our forests - we do have our wills. We do know very instinctively (all too distinctively), we are the correct place.
11 "But My people did not listen to My voice, And Israel did not obey Me. 12 “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, To walk in their own devices." Ask yourselves, when hearing God declare, "Do it your own way!" what goes through your spirit? It is the beginning of a new road for you, a new calling, a new ministry, Man is saying to you "My way, my idea is better, go ahead, do it your own way! We will see who whose way is better when...!" God's ways versus our ways - where do we begin to cut the kingdom road out of the worldly forest? What is it about us that still wants to things our own way? Why do we fight so hard against the ways of God to begin our own Road to Salvation? Why do we find it so hard to believe our road to salvation is Jesus?
Let Us Pray: Psalm 81 - Lord, as I consider the vast forests, wildernesses before me, while I am pondering where I should start, while I am busy pre-planning my way over the hills and mountains, across the wide rivers and narrow streams, while I am so hard at work convincing myself of the wholly better way (my way) is the only place to start cutting out my road to Your glory and and my salvation, help me to see the error and folly of my ways, help me to bold and courageous enough to turn from them and help me to find, help me to learn, help me to just live, experience, share the greater wisdom of Your better way - through the greatest love of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
http://www.youtube.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment