Several years ago, I received a traffic ticket as I was on my way home from work. I had left work and just started driving. The place where I worked was on a hill. Before I knew it, I saw blue lights flashing in my rearview mirror and quickly pulled over. After walking to my window, the officer asked the usual question, “Ma’am, do you know how fast you were going?” I honestly answered, “No.” I did not know how fast I had been driving. I had not been paying attention to my speed because I was just driving home. He informed me that I had been going almost 25 miles per hour over the speed limit and proceeded to write me a ticket for excessive speed.
The Lord reminded me of this incident this morning as I was headed to work. Both times I have received a ticket were not because I was in a hurry to get somewhere but simply because I was not paying careful attention to my speed. We all have routines that are so set that sometimes we end up going the wrong way just out of habit. Some mornings if I am not careful or if I just have something on my mind while I am driving, I have been known to stop at green lights or head to church on a workday. Our habits and routines are good, but sometimes it is good to stop and take notice of where we are. There have been many times when I have gotten ahead of God, not because I intentionally was being impatient but simply because I was not paying attention. It is easy to wander down a wrong path because we have allowed things to become routine.
I Peter 5:8 reminds us, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: We must pay attention because the Devil certainly is paying close attention to us. He would love to catch us unaware so that he can send us down a wrong path. Fortunately, that chapter of I Peter does not end with verse 8. It continues in verses 9 and 10, Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. We do not need to be a casualty. Our faithfulness to pay attention to our walk is so important. The Bible says that we can be vigilant and that we can resist the Devil. God is waiting to give us the strength to do so and to keep us grounded as we march onward for Him. When we pay attention, we can slow down enough for God to take control and to show us the way!
by Vicki Voorhis
