Saturday, April 12, 2014 [A Better Bus]
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"But no, my people wouldn't listen. Israel did not want me around. So I let them follow their own stubborn desires, living according to their own ideas." (Psalm 81:11-12)
I grew up going to church with my family. In 1984 at nine years old I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life. I knew what I was asking, but I struggled with being a young follower of Christ. When dad died in '87 I really started to turn away from God. By the time I was in college I had stopped attending any church, never read the Scriptures, and my favorite Sunday activity had become the afternoon football or basketball double-header. I didn't want God around. I just wanted to live according to my own ideas and agenda.
I remember a project that I had to do for an art class. I needed to visit 2-3 gallery exhibits and write reflections on what I had observed. A "still small voice" [the Holy Spirit] told me which exhibits I should go to. They were relatively close to campus and early in the semester. However, I ended up later in the semester. I took a bus to an art gallery somewhere I had never been before almost 40 minutes away from campus. I saw the exhibit, took notes and sought out my bus. After standing outside waiting for what seemed to be at least an hour, I finally saw my bus coming. But something was strange. When I saw the flashing yellow lights I knew. Somewhere en route the bus had broken down and had been picked up by a tow truck. I spent the next few hours walking back to campus through the most desolate parts of Atlanta that I had ever seen. It wasn't fun. I thought briefly about that "still small voice." Looking back I remember how I didn't want God around. I just wanted to live according to my own ideas. But, it never got me where I wanted to be.
This is just one of many stories that I can remember when I didn't want God around. Today, I know a lot of people that just don't want God around. But listen to what God says in Psalm 81:
"Oh, that my people would listen to me! Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths! How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes! But I would feed you with the finest wheat. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock." (Psalm 81:13,14,16)
It's amazing how we often think that God wants to ruin our lives, when all He really wants is to bless them. We think that He wants to take our control away when He really wants to save us from our bad decision pattern. But, sometimes we'd rather walk in desolate places than have Him carry us in His capable arms.
Lord, I confess that I can easily get caught up in doing my own thing. It happens more often than I care to admit. Help me to not turn Your love and care away. I want to follow You today instead of turning You away.
Questions:
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Think of a time when you simply didn't want God around.
How did that situation end up for you?
Do you struggle with giving Jesus control over your life? Why or why not?
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)
Kenny Sullivan
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