WE CANNOT GO WRONG

I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT MY PARENTS WERE PRETTY STRICT ON ME WHEN I WAS GROWNING UP.  I DIDNT OPENLY QUESTION THEIR AUTHORITY BECAUSE THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING YOU DIDNT DO.  I CAN RECALL ASKING MY DAD, "WHY" A FEW TIMES AND HIS RESPONSE WAS "BECAUSE I SAID SO", AND THAT PRETTY MUCH ENDED THE CONVERSATION.  I FIND MYSELF GIVING GINA THE SAME RESPONSE AT TIMES.  AS A TEENAGER, I RECALL TELLING PEOPLE, "I WONT EVER TELL MY KIDS WHAT TO DO" OR "I CANT WAIT TIL I TURN 18 AND CAN DO WHATEVER I WANNA DO."  DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?  I BET IT DOES!

WELL, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU TODAY..............

ONCE I GREW UP, I DID EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO.  I WENT WHERE I WANTED TO GO, WHENEVER I CHOSE TO GO AND WITH WHOMEVER I DECIDED TO BE WITH.  I MADE IT A POINT TO HAVE NO LIMITS, NO BOUNDARIES AND NO RESTRICTIONS.  AT FIRST, IT SEEMED GREAT.  I HAD A BLAST!  I ALWAYS HAD FUN AND WAS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY!  I LOVED MY LIFE.  IT WAS ALL ABOUT FUN!!!! 

BUT.................

AS THE YEARS WENT BY, THE FUN FADED.  THE PARTIES LOST THEIR APPEAL.  THE PROBLEMS ACCUMULATED.  I ENDED UP BACKED INTO A CORNER.  I GOT TO THE END OF THE ROAD.  I HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL......IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE!!!  I REALIZED THE NEED FOR LIMITATIONS, THE NECESSITY OF RULES AND THE SECURITY OF GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.  I TURNED TO THE LORD AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO HIS COMMANDS. 

I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE BY HIS GUIDELINES, TO WELCOME HIS RULES AND TO LISTEN TO GODLY COMMANDS.  JUST AS A PARENT SETS RULES AND STANDARDS, SO DOES OUR GOD!  WE CANNOT GO WRONG BY BUCKLING DOWN AND BEING OBEDIENT.  HIS PLAN IS FOR PEACE, NOT EVIL.  LOVE, NOT HATE.  HAPPINESS, NOT SORROW.  SUCCESS, NOT FAILURE.  GOD TELLS US TO BE PATIENT, STEADFAST AND UNMOVABLE, TO BE FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT, ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING AND GENTLE TO ALL.  HE COMMANDS US TO BE CONTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE, TO RESIST THE DEVIL AND TO WITHDRAW FROM DISORDERLY PEOPLE.  WE CANNOT GO WRONG WHEN WE LIVE BY HIS SIMPLE DIRECTIONS. 

I SEE MY GOD THIS MORNING AS A LOVING PARENT.  I THANK HIM FOR HIS GUIDANCE, HIS PROTECTION AND MOST OF ALL FOR HIS LOVING COMMANDS WHICH I HAVE LEARNED TO FOLLOW.  WE SERVE AN AWESOME GOD AND I AM GRATEFUL THIS MORNING!!!