God Speaking

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you”

(Psalm 32: 8)

I have become used to my old, fashioned appliances I have owned for years, but lately, just like me, they are wearing out and some have refused to work at all. This happened to my blender and after I confided in my daughter, she lovingly bought me a new one. When she opened it in my kitchen my heart sank, it was nothing like I had ever seen and when I asked where the buttons were to turn it on, she replied, no buttons it is programmed on the front you just must read the instructions to see what the symbols mean. She handed me the book of instructions and my heart sank further, but I knew I needed to read it. 

Fortunately, we who follow Jesus have an incredible book of instructions to help us lead a full and fulfilling life the way the Heavenly Father designed us to live. This book never gets old or out of date nor do the instructions. They are not hard to read, and the Lord has even sent us a helper, The Holy Spirit, if we struggle to understand. As we live them, we feel complete as we follow the instructions written for us in God’s Word. 

Following the instructions is the key. If we read them and think that is a good idea, but still proceed with how we would like to live, disasters can happen. I have seen several family members attempting to assemble some Ikea furniture without properly reading the instructions and witnessed the frustration as things went wrong. 

Solomon had a lot of wise words to say about heeding instruction and wanted his son, but of course ultimately all of us, not to ignore it. 

“Hold onto instruction, do not let it go; guard it well for it is your life.” (Proverbs 4: 13)

I found another very powerful warning for all those attempting to build without reading the instructions 

“He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.” (Proverbs 13: 13)

The more we read of how important reading instructions is we see that the emphasis Jesus brought in his teaching was how imperative it was to follow him to learn how to act and think and behave how he did. 

“When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8: 12)

So, reading instructions must always be followed by actually doing them. 

When Jesus called his first disciples, he used these words:

“Come, follow me” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4: 19)

We don’t have Jesus in person now, but he has left us a book of instructions to learn how to follow him, we just must read and do what he says.