Got it on cruise control?

A friend of mine was driving down the road with the cruise set on 70. He noticed a highway patrolman ahead of him sitting beside the road. He passed with confidence and even waved as he went by. To his surprise the patrolman started following him with his lights flashing. “Must be stopping a car going the other direction,” he thought to himself. But, there wasn't a car coming the other way and the trooper waved him over. Angrily, he pulled over, got out and walked back to meet the trooper. As he met him he said, "I had my cruise set and I was driving 70 miles per hour. Why did you stop me?" The trooper calmly said, "Sir the speed limit here is 55." My friend knew he was right and boldly proclaimed it. Unfortunately, he wasn’t aware of where he was and had not noticed the signs and the correct speed limit for that stretch of road.


There are times when my spiritual life is on cruise control. I go through each day with little focus and little attention to my relationship with God. In Ephesians 6 Paul makes a chilling statement when he says, “Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world”. Satan does not want us to experience the perfect relationship God intended we have with Him and with His Son Jesus. The devil does everything he can to stop us from even beginning to know God. For believers, his assaults on us are real and they are cunning. If we aren’t prepared and alert the results are much worse than a speeding ticket in West Texas.


Jesus warned of this when he told the story about planting seed in Luke 8. In sharing the different places the seed (God’s message) falls He describes circumstances when the devil comes, when troubles come, and when the worries, riches, and pleasures of life come. In each case the intent is to keep us away from that perfect relationship with God which is the good soil in the story. My take-away from this story for many years was to be the good soil and produce fruit. Certainly, that is the story’s conclusion. However, I have another understanding. I should expect and know that Satan will attempt to detour my journey of loving God and loving others. He will bring troubles into my life with the sole purpose of disrupting my relationship with God and with those I love. He will bring worries, riches, and pleasure to trap me in my choices and take away the joy and true life that God intended. But, my focus changes as I see these events in a spiritual context. I see them for what they are. They are Satan’s efforts to separate me from the God I love. And I will fight. I will not surrender to the enemy. I won’t attack those I love. I won’t become a victim. I won’t walk away from the church. I won’t blame God should troubles, problems, sufferings, hunger, nakedness, danger or violent death (Romans 8: 35) come into my life. Rather, I see these attacks for what they are and will take courage with the promise that nothing can separate me from the love of God. I will be reminded I am not alone in this battle and will draw strength even in the worst circumstances knowing I will overcome because of His great power (Ephesians 6:10).


Father you never leave us and you never give up on us. Remind us that every day we must make the decision to put you first in everything, and when we do you give us true life, joy, and peace. Amen.

Scotty Elston
Shallowater, Texas