"I know! I know!"

"Let me show you how to work it.", the father offers his child.
"I know how it works, just give it to me!", the son demands.
"But you need to remember how the..."
"I know, I know. Just let me have it!"
So the child takes the toy, feeling he knows all he needs to about its function. But within a few minutes he returns to his father asking, "Daddy, can you fix it?"

Though we would brand this as childish behavior, is it any different from such action at any age? There are many who RUN ON into life thinking they know all they need to know, then, after making a mess out of their life, look, hoping there is someone who can help make the necessary repairs.

There are many things we learn by experience, but we don't have to learn everything that way. God has revealed His wisdom for life through His Word to spare us from making needless mistakes. Life does come with an instruction manual we would do well to keep consulting. God has placed His Word in our hands so that as we take life in our hands we will know how it is to be best used. Still, how many times do people (including ourselves) GO ON AHEAD doing our own thing only to end up with something else to be fixed?

We might even picture the child who RUNS AHEAD thinking they are grown up enough to find their own way and ends up getting lost. The sad parallel is through choices such as that in relation to life's direction, many have become spiritually lost thinking they could find their way all alone. God seeks to direct our lives to keep us traveling the right road. He desires for us to follow His guidance away from the pitfalls of life. Self-reliance is really not a sign of maturity.

John wrote. . .
"(9) Everyone who GOES ON AHEAD and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. WHOEVER ABIDES in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." ( 2 John 9 ESV)

Let us stay with God, continuing to listen to His instructions. He wants to reveal to us how to best work the life He has given us. If you have run ahead and find you are broken, don't despair -- He can fix your life. Therefore, stay with Him. Be His faithful child. Let Him teach you what you need to know. And if you have run ahead, return! It's a sign of maturity to accept His guidance.

Have a great day KEEPING IN STRIDE WITH THE FATHER.
Carl

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[This focus was originally sent 12/16/1998 (edited some with passage changed to ESV)]

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