Monday, October 8, 2012

Signs




When you drive to South Carolina from the north, before you’re anywhere near the state, you start seeing signs for a place called South of the Border. We’ve never stopped there, but the signs let you know it’s an amazing store/restaurant/vegetable stand where all your dreams can come true. If you don’t believe those signs there are others that promise dream fulfilling attractions in Myrtle Beach. Of course, those aren’t the only kinds of signs you see on the road. There are the speed limit signs, the mile markers, and, the ones I watch for, the rest stop indicators. 

In the journey of life, there are lots of signs too. When my students give speeches some signs that they are nervous are tapping the podium and saying “um” a lot. Wayne and I have learned to read the signs that we send each other without saying anything. And if I look for them, there are signs all around of God’s amazing love for me.

The Sabbath is one of those signs. It’s a sign to remind me that He is the Lord my God. It’s also a sign to remind me that He has set me apart to be holy.

God knows I need reminders. I’m always wandering off on my own and forgetting where I’m going. I forget what He wants me to be doing and I forget that I want to be doing it. I’m distracted by my daily tasks: by cleaning and cooking and exercise and reading and writing and teaching and watching TV. I spend my time in class and at the store and at the doctor. Even when I start my day with devotions, when I put the Bible down my mind moves on to other things.

So God created a whole day to remind me about Him. Spending one day in seven focused on Him and not on my daily tasks puts me back in right relationship with Him. Spending one day in seven with Him actually sets me apart to be holy.

This is a sign I don’t want to ignore.

No comments:

Post a Comment