Psalms 119:165
Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I tried out a couple of new recipes I found on Pinterest. We invited my mother-in-law, Elaine, over for dinner. It’s always dicey to try out new recipes on a dinner guest, but Elaine is a good sport… and the dishes were actually quite tasty – crock pot lasagna and a peanut butter pie. As we finished dessert, Elaine asked, “Did you have a recipe for this pie?” I laughed and said “Oh, yes… no telling how this pie would have turned out if I had made it up in my head!” I know that I would probably not have thought to follow the same steps – and the taste and texture of my “version” would have been markedly different!
There are a few dishes in my repertoire that I have made enough times that I don’t really need to follow a recipe (although I guess technically, I still follow the recipe in my head!). But printed instructions for most entrees and desserts serve as a comfort – and a confidence booster! If I follow the recipe, I have a pretty good idea that I won’t stumble… and that gives me great peace. The same can be said for sewing patterns. When I veer off course and try to create a garment without referring to the pattern and instructions, I have a pretty good shot at making something that is un-wearable… or at the very least doesn’t fit correctly. And when I stray from a recipe, there is a fairly good chance the dish won’t be nearly as tasty.
When it comes to following God’s instructions, there is really no difference. We can try to do things our way…and sometimes skirt by with little repercussion. But more often, we experience an epic fail. We make a huge mess of things…and our life is anything but peaceful and filled with days of “smooth sailing”. And it’s almost always because we didn’t follow “God’s recipe or pattern”.
In Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (CEV), we read “Listen, Israel! The Lord our God is the only true God! So love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them. Write these laws on the door frames of your homes and on your town gates.” In Matthew and Luke, Jesus instructs us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This is what I would call a good “pattern” or “recipe”! If we will truly commit to following these guidelines, our lives should be filled with steady steps and great peace. There will surely be “bumps in the road”… but God will be with us to help us regroup and move forward.
Whose “recipe” or “pattern” will you follow? Will you love the instructions God has given us and make them an innate part of your daily living? Are you really willing to risk God’s peace and a relatively bump-free road in life just to have your own way? Are you following your own rules… or God’s? How’s that working for you?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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