Honoring the Word of the Lord

Acts 13:48a When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; Thoughts for Today: We have a vacation home in Northern Idaho which we use a lot and usually take friends along for fun in the sun on the lake. On this one trip we had just bought a new ATV -- and I mean new -- I had barely taken it off the trailer and done one lap around the field next to our house when my wife called me in to start the barbeque (we were having hamburgers for dinner). I usually like to put the first scratch on a new toy, but against my better judgment I asked the young man (17 years old) who was riding with me if he wanted to cruise around for a few minutes while I started the barbeque. He jumped at the chance. I showed him how it worked, told him to go slow, get a feel for it, and I would be right back. Not five minutes had passed when the young man ran into the house, shouting "Mike, Mike you've got to come now, there's something wrong with the ATV!" I rushed outside to find the right front wheel of my brand new ATV at a grotesque angle, clearly wrecked as a result of a high speed collision with a tree stump. The explanations, apologies, and promises of reparation came quickly and profusely as I stood there in shocked silence. As I read today's scripture I thought about my young friend who was also "glad" when he heard my words, "You want to take it for a ride?" He promised to "honor" my word of instruction but things didn't work out too well. I told him to go slow and get a feel for it; instead he went fast, lost control and hit a tree stump. How much like this are we in our relationship with the Lord? The Lord tells us to do things one way yet instead we do it our way -- many times with disastrous consequences. Questions to Ponder: Scripture is the Lord's word of instruction. When you read scripture and hear the Lord's voice are you "glad"? What have you read or heard recently that has been difficult to do or apply? Did you do it your way or the Lord's? What was the result? Will you "honor" the Lord's Word? In what area is the Lord instructing you today? Will you listen and apply what you have learned? Or, will you continue in your own way? They way of the follower of Christ is to listen for and do God's will.