Don't Go Too Fast

I have a driving issue.  It really is simple.  I love to drive, I love cars, I love fast.  Therefore, I love to drive fast cars.  I don’t have a fast car (Hello, Kia Soul you are a hamster car) and that is for good reason and great design.  As a teenager I had a Honda Prelude.  I acquired this car after wrecking my totally awesome Isuzu I-Mark … 5 months after I got my license!  Yep, I had never heard of an I-Mark either until I was given one upon gaining my drivers license.   The funny thing about all of this in retrospect is at 16 years old I was given a sports car that drove fast, drove smooth and looked good.  Thanks, Dad! 

Early this week as I was reading in Deuteronomy 31, I thought about my love for speed and getting ahead and getting somewhere as fast as I can.  It has created this cycle in my life of the need for a car with cruise control.  You see, my husband has not had a speeding ticket since he was 19.  Me, on the other hand, well let’s just say I have had a ticket or two or six – Don’t judge J.  So, my hubs that has never had a ticket in his adult life sees my inability to drive the speed limit as a self control issue so he ensures that I have all means necessary to work on that and he only buys cars with cruise control. 

So how does all of this tie in with Deut. 31?  Well, in verse 3 Moses gives Joshua some instruction.  He tells Joshua that God will go BEFORE them.  How many times do we try to move ahead of God?  In verse 5 Moses tells them that the Lord will give the enemies over to them according to the commandments that have been given.  The challenge here is to follow the commands of God.  Many times, we think we can do it better or our timing is better is better than the timing of God.  Remember, God is not bound to our time or our opinions.  He is bound to His word. 

The section closes out with an encouragement to not be afraid.  Here’s the thing – If we are walking in the plan of God, it can be a little scary but we have His word that he will give us peace and courage.

Think about this – would you rather drive the super fast Honda Prelude and get ahead of the plan of God or would you rather drive the hamster car and keep in pace with the Holy Spirit?  I will take the Holy Spirit pace.  Don’t get ahead, don’t drive too fast and stay within the boundaries and parameters established by God.

Roaches & Chickens

Recently, I was reading in Genesis 26 and want to share some thoughts.  I am a fear conquerer.  I used to be scared of all kinds of things.  I was scared of the dark, scared of death, roaches, chickens, spiders and especially scared of my husband dying.  And yes, I admit, I am still scared of chickens and roaches.  You know the kind of roaches that we have in South Georgia.  The ugly ones, the ones that make your toes curl up and shivers run down your spine!  Some call them Palmetto Bugs but I call them for what they are ROACHES!  I am certain roaches have a plan to take over the world and chickens want to peck my legs just to see me do a crazy dance/run/jig just to get a good chicken laugh.

All that aside, Genesis 26 has some great insight on the stupidity of fear.  Isaac was given a promise from God!  HELLO .... how many of us have a promise from God??  Yep, all of us - read His word to find them.  However, in Gen. 26:6 we see that out of FEAR Isaac lied to try to protect his wife.  The craziness of this is there was never a real threat to him OR his wife.  It was just something he made up in his own mind, kind of like the chickens having a good chicken laugh at me.  As we read further, we see that this lie and his fear held up the promise (check out verse 8 - he was there a LONG TIME).  Fear is something that is so real yet so made up all at the same time.  Once we really evaluate the thing we are afraid of and stack it up against the promises of God we begin to realize that fear is kind of like the chickens that my husband likes to let roam around our yard.  They are going to run once something greater, stronger and more powerful comes along.  Even the most stubborn rooster will eventually learn there is only one boss.  As I read further in Gen. 26, I noticed that in verse 10 Abimelech got angry with Isaac because of the lie Isaac told.  The fear of Isaac not only held up the promise of God but it also could have caused problems for Abimelech.  Think about it for a minute.  Have you ever told a lie out of fear only to learn that it has not only caused you problems but others as well?  Let's go back to the roaches for a minute .... While I have never lied about my fear of roaches, it does cause an inconvenience to those around me.  I will call my husband from a project to come and rescue me from the evil plot of the icky, South Georgia pest.  I will spray them dead with hair spray until the drown in alcohol and then have to be pried off the floor with a sheet rock knife once the sticky spray dries (true story).  The reality is fear and roaches are both conquerable.  The promise is greater than the fear.  In verse 11 Abimelech gave a charge and protected not only Isaac's wife but also Isaac.

I just want to encourage you to stand on the promises and do not allow the roaches and the chickens to rob you your victory.  While the roaches and the chickens provide some funny stories, they are just that ... stories.  Be encouraged and stand on the PROMISES not the FEAR!