Within Inches

^"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."  (Psalm 16:11 KJV)

I came within inches of sabotaging the back end of my van.  What stopped me?  Well, the little voice telling me to put on the brakes.  I was backing up and not looking fully behind me.  Three times I was told to watch:  when I put the car in reverse, as I backed up, and then again as I proceeded backwards.  I decided to listen at last, just in case.  I tapped on the brakes, and looked around for the electric pole.  I had to look for a little while, for it was directly in my blind spot and literally less than 2 inches from my back bumper! 

He wants to speak to us in the day to day.  What if I had not listened to the paternal guiding and checked for the obstacle?  There would have been unpleasant results.  He loves me enough to speak. Will I listen or let my own determination of what is right be my guide? 

It is a dangerous task to back up or dig in.  We cannot see as well where we are going and there are obstacles behind us.  When we are in reverse, we move more by a sense of what we remember is there or familiar.   It is time to listen, stop, and put it in drive toward the prize. 

In the words of Paul, "I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."  (Phillipians 3:12-14 MSG)

"See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?  At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”  Hebrews 12:26 NIV

He loves us!  He speaks.  He loves us enough to speak!!