Lawn Lines?

There is a way that seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25 AMPC

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your path.  Proverbs 3:5-6 AMPC

My husband is very particular about our lawn. He spends most summer weekends manicuring the green carpet to perfection. No weeds, golf-course style trimmed and perfect lines. So, I felt pretty good about myself when he gave up the task a few times several summers ago and let me do the mowing. Let’s just say, our neighbors could tell the difference! No matter what I did, I couldn’t get perfectly straight lines like my husband always seemed able to create. Then I remembered something I’d once read about how pioneers used to plow their fields in straight lines and I began applying it to my mowing. Before you knew it, straight lines began appearing!

The pioneer plowman would focus on a distant, though straight-ahead tree or a fence post. Not diverting his gaze from the fixed point ahead, he resisted the temptation to watch the plow. Trusting the fixed point to guide him rather than what appeared straight. Such focus enabled him to successfully plow straight lines.

In our own lives, it’s so easy to take our eyes off the distant fence-post of God’s Word, relying instead on our own understanding rather than His Truth as revealed in His Word. Oh so subtly, our focus begins drifting (not unlike my lawn lines!), as we start trusting our own insight – trusting what we see, or hear or feel or what’s popular rather than His Word. And before you know it, we have crooked lines of confusion, anxiety and fear.  Crooked lines of bad decisions and broken relationships. And if not corrected, crooked lines that lead us to eternal consequences.

God’s Word reminds us that there is a way that seems straight and right, but at the end of it is the way of death. He tells us to trust Him with all our heart and not to rely on our own insight or understanding. Simply put – He wants to be the fixed point we gaze at, the “fence-post” we trust in. And cautions us of the danger in trusting in ourselves.

God’s Word reminds us that there is a way that seems straight and right, but at the end of it is the way of death.

My husband never once complained about my lack of mowing skills, always showing me grace as he smiled and said “thank you.” How much more our heavenly Father will respond with grace to us as we ask Him to help us shift our trust back to Him and the authentic Truth found His Word.

My Lord, It’s so easy to drift away from the Truths found in Your Word, and Oh so slowly begin trusting my perception of things instead. How easy it is to walk by sight! Please forgive me and enable me to fix my gaze straight ahead – to You. Thank You! In Jesus name, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

http://www.DevotionsForDifficultDays.com

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