Road Construction

Summer is here and with it the inevitable road construction projects. They seem to be everywhere. At least that was true yesterday and I had places to be; a time schedule to keep.

Now I must admit there had been warning signs. They were up a week or more ago. Those signs warn me of the type of construction, the day it is to begin, the day it is projected to end, and even to expect delays. They are big signs, flashy signs, and I read them. I could have made an alternate plan, in fact I should have, but here I was right in the middle of it. I had read the signs, filed away the information for later access, and I failed to go back and access the information before I set out for my jam packed day of errands.

As I sat waiting for that road sign to rotate from "Stop" to "Slow" I contemplated my schedule of errands. What did I have to do that was so important that I should stress about sitting and waiting. Hmmmm, nothing. That's right, NOTHING. It was then that God began to whisper to me.

"I gave you signs, you read the signs, you tucked away the information, but you never went back. You do this with Me you know. You read my Word, you even tuck away tidbits of good information in your journal, you see the warning signs, but you never go back. You do your morning time with me and then head off on your day, with your schedule, and you forget all about Me. Once and awhile you have a big decision and you ask me for a big sign. Why? You ignore all my little signs and I give you many little signs everyday. The key here, my dear daughter, is that they are little signs. Like that "Stop/Slow" sign ahead of you. You wouldn't notice that one either, except you are sitting here. You are quiet and still, and you see that small sign. I don't yell, my dear. I whisper, and you need to be quiet and still to hear me; to see the signs."

BAM! God got me right between the eyes. He got me in the mind and in the heart.

I do need to be listening more throughout my day. I do need to focus on God's priority for the day. I do need to let go of my desire to control all things, even little things. I need to be watching for road signs of warning. I need to heed signs to slow down, signs to be quiet and still so that I can hear God. How about you? What sort of sign will you need to hear the voice of God?

Fences

Each time we visit the midwest, particularly when it is a driving trip, I am struck by the lack of fences between yards. We live in the Pacific Northwest, near a very large city, and 90% or more of the homes have a fence to separate your yard from the neighbor's yard. However, in midwest towns, both small and large, I would guess that less than 50% of the homes have a fenced yard.

Which brings to mind the question, "Why?" or better yet "How?" How do you know where to stop mowing? How do you keep your kids from playing in their yard? How do you keep your dog from wandering away? How can anything be private? How do you keep your neighbor's nose out of your business?

But maybe that is the point. Maybe we strive so hard to keep our neighbors out of our business that we wall off relationships and thus begins a downward spiral into sin. If our neighbors see and know then we have to be accountable and we don't want that. We use the fence to set boundaries so we don't have to exercise discipline, and lack of discipline can draw us into all sorts of behaviors that aren't what God has planned for our lives.

If we have a fence, we don't have to teach our kids about boundaries. We don't have to teach our dog to obey commands like "come". But following God is about boundaries and obedience. As Americans, we have rebelled against these two things, we have found the need to construct fences, "walls", so that no one can intrude on our choices to do what we want. We don't have to be disciplined or obedient and we don't have to be accountable.

Today is Independence Day; a day we celebrate our freedom. Many Americans think this means the freedom to do pretty much whatever we want, freedom from accountability and discipline. True freedom is found in Christ. True freedom is having the ability to roam wherever we want whenever we want, but understanding and choosing to limit ourselves—disciplining ourselves and being accountable to others.

Let me suggest that on this Independence Day, you choose to tear down some fences you have built to "protect" yourself. Get to know a neighbor today, or build a relationship with a fellow believer, become accountable to someone, choose to find True Freedom in Jesus Christ.