The wrong highway of life

Psalm 119:137-144

^“Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules.  You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.  My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.  Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.  I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.  Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.”

This life has often been compared to a highway, and each of us have many choices to not obey the laws of the highway.  We have many good reasons for not doing so, it has four lanes and little amount of traffic so I’m going to up the posted speed by 10 to 15 miles per hour.  I’m late for an important appointment and need to make that light but it is going to be burnt orange when I go through it.  Why did the highway department put lights, or speed limits on the highways to protect you the driver?  When caught breaking the rules of the highway, and standing before the judge your late appointment, or reasoning for going above the speed limit that was posted is most often going to come back on your head, and pocketbook.  Laws and rules are designed to protect and give us guidance not to bring harm to us.  On the highway of life, each day we choose to obey or disobey the laws God our Father has given us to guide us on the highway of life.

As a follower of Christ, what is your attitude?  I have no doubt it’s in agreement with the Psalmist, ^“Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules.”  No one who is a follower of Christ is going to be in disagreement that on this highway it seems there are 12 lanes going against the statutes and precepts of our Father.  It often seems as if we are on a small single lane going down the middle of the twelve lanes against the traffic.

We all got off the highway at a rest stop, and many decided on going with the traffic, at first it seemed like a smart thing to do, but as you go down the road it becomes clear you are going fast, but to where?  For some they have to have a wreck and often the cost is a lost marriage, or kids or a career before they acknowledge, “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.”  The Father has given us His Son and the Son has given us the Holy Spirit to teach us how to be like the Son whom the Father loves.  

When the Holy Spirit brings conviction about being on the wrong highway of life, it always comes to a choice.  Do we confess and agree with the words of the Psalmist? “Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.  Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice