Cruise Control

I have put on quite a few miles driving and will continue driving for a number of days yet. One of my great “friends” has been the cruise control on the car. It was nice to just get the car to the right speed and then press a button and the car continues at that speed until I choose to change it. The real danger is getting too comfortable because technology is doing the work and the temptation was to not focus clearly. What if I missed a change in the speed limit? That could be dangerous for others and expensive for me if a police officer caught me. I might not see an animal crossing the road, like a deer, or see it and not be able to hit the brake instantly because my foot is resting away from the brake pedal. It also can take away some instinctive driving like accelerating into a turn, not going into a passing gear on a hill, or losing control more easily through hydroplaning on freshly fallen rain. The blessing is making a long drive less tiresome but can in turn into a disconnect from what I should be doing. Do you ever just push the cruise control button and not stay engaged? I’m not talking about driving any more. It might apply to your daily life, but I’m more concerned about your spiritual wellbeing. Is your relationship with God a living relationship? By that, I mean, does this relationship continue to grow? Are you learning more about God every day? Is your prayer more thoughtless repetition, or do you approach God in awe and wonder, expecting Him to direct you and those for whom you pray? Do we see the passage that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and incorporate our version of that which shows that I haven’t changed in years. For God, this is a wonderful attribute, but for man, it is a great shame. Think about the spiritual growth of Abraham, Job, David, and especially the Apostle Paul. Are there parts of your life that you need to take the cruise control off? Are you mindlessly going to church, but failing to worship, because your heart and soul are in neutral? A song we sang for Vacation Bible School went something like this, “Lord, do not let me park here while waiting for you. Put me in drive and steer my way...” Is your spiritual walk in neutral? It is time to ask God to stir in your heart, so as to actively serve our King. Father, too often I find myself coasting when I should be actively pushing forward. Direct my way, O Lord. Amen