“The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Proverbs 19:9-11)
Imagine if you lived 1,000 years ago and you woke up one morning to discover that everyone in your village had a car parked in front of their house. Cool, yes? Except nobody has ever seen a car before. Nobody knows what it’s for and why it exists or where it came from. Some people start using their cars for beds or dining rooms or less pleasant things. Others begin to worship the cars as a kind of god.
What would it be worth to discover, hidden under one of the floor mats, an owner’s and driving manual written in your own language? If you studied it, you’d suddenly understand the point of “car.” You’d get that it was transportation, that it was meant to be fast, that it has an in-dash stereo. You’d realize what the key was for – and you’d learn some things not to do if you wanted it to work properly (e.g., put sand in the gas tank, drive at night without headlights, etc.).
Having the car’s maker explain in writing how the car works best would mean the difference between having a worthless hunk of metal – and having a ticket to drive really fast. Paying attention to the maker’s warnings and direction would mean the difference between life and death. (Okay, you get the metaphor – God’s directions to us about how to live are worth everything. Don’t worry about where you’d find gas or the lack of roads. It’s just an analogy. Come on. Work with me here.)
Think: What are the chances of coming to the right conclusions about how our lives are meant to be lived if you eliminate God’s instructions in his Word?
Pray: Ask God to help you to value his Word for what it’s worth.
Do: Write down three things the Bible warns you to avoid on the road of the life. Then briefly describe (in a sentence) the reward of obeying God’s commands.