“You can go your own way,
Go your own way,”
And I intended to do exactly that.
Plus, I was Will. And where there’s a Will there’s a way right?
When I wanted something I didn’t let anything slow me down or stop me.
One example of this was my first car. I knew exactly what I wanted and I was not going to rest till I got it. I wanted a Honda Civic hatchback and it had to be red. It also could only be the 1995 model. The 96 and up model was different and I didn’t like it and any older was too old. It also had to be a standard not an automatic.
(You see, I had just turned 17 and wanted to be cool and fit in so I went to river parties. Now I would drink a few swigs here and there of some girly alcoholic beverage but the truth was it was more of a pretense than anything else, as I simply couldn’t stomach alcohol that well.
Since I was one of the few with the least to drink I was often given the role of designated driver for one of my much more inebriated friends. The problem was that I couldn’t drive standard so more than once I was in the passenger seat steering a vehicle that one of my drunk friends was driving at incredible speeds, hoping that somehow we would both make it home alive. So for this reason, learning to drive standard was a must for me.)
After much scouring of newspaper adds and Buy and Sell magazines I finally found exactly what I was looking for. The problem was that it was nowhere near where we lived and my Dad refused (for good reason too) to drive for hours to look at a car with me when there was plenty of good options nearby. I didn’t let that stop me though. Instead, I talked my brother-in-law and my boss at that time, and between the two of them I found a way to get the car I wanted.
Where there’s a Will there was a way.
And that’s just one small example of my incredible willfulness.
But God.
Looking back now I am so thankful that God didn’t leave me to continue on my own way. Because you know where that way would have lead me?
To destruction.
Matthew 7:13b Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
And if God didn’t intervene in my life I would still be happily running down that road – blissfully and naively unaware of the danger I was in.
Why am I sharing this now? To make myself look good? Obviously not, because there is nothing attractive about extreme willfulness. And the truth is that left to ourselves there is none good, no not one.
Romans 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
The reason I feel compelled to share this is that God commands us to make know His deeds among the peoples and I love to share about God and how great He is!
Psalm 105:1-5a O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His Name: make known His deeds among the people. Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works. Glory ye in His holy Name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and His strength: seek His face evermore. Remember His marvellous works that He hath done;
Because of Him, I no longer desire to go my own way. Instead one of my favourite verses that I now live by and cling to is Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct thy paths.
You notice it doesn’t say He might direct our paths. It says He shall.
And He will.
And He does.
And although it is true that God’s way is narrow, it is also straight. And I so much rather walk a straight and narrow path that leads to life than the broad way of my own wilful foolishness, that ends only in everlasting destruction.
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
And you know what is so great about doing things God’s way? His way is perfect.
Psalm 18:30a As for God, His way is perfect:
You can't really go wrong with perfect can you?
He is the one who calls us out of darkness into His marvellous light!
1 Peter 2:9b That ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light;
And you know what? He not only called me. He’s calling you too. Right now.
Hebrews 3:15 While it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Isaiah 65:2
I have stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
His arms are open.
James 4:8a
Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.
There's no maybe. If He says He will, He will.
God doesn't lie or make fake promises.
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
He sent His own Son to save us.
John 3:17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
And yes, that whosoever includes you.
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