Danger!

My wife and I are vacationing in Michigan's upper peninsula, along the Lake Superior shoreline. As a matter of fact we are SO near the shoreline, if we took a few steps outside our bedroom window we would literally be in the lake. You see, we are staying in . . . a lighthouse.

We are really enjoying ourselves. We both love lighthouses and enjoy learning about the lovely lives of the light keepers as they watched over "the light" in order to keep others safe.

There are many dangers up here, both now and in days gone by. My wife and I were walking along a trail yesterday that led to a waterfall. Along the pathway there was a sign that read "dangerous outlook." If only we had those signs in our lives, we would be SO much better off.

For example, don't eat those mushrooms you see along life's trail. They might look tempting but they are poisonous. Don't get too close to the edge of the cliff, it rained last night and the ground could give way. Or, don't walked out on those jagged rocks. You might twist your angle . . . which actually happened to my wife.

Life does not come with many warning signs. Sometimes our friends or family warn us about hanging out with certain people. We might have been warned my our mother's about the dangers of smoking or drinking. These warnings are for our own good, yet we often ignore them because WE want to be in control of our own lives. We really love to be in control.

I think that's why so many people are hesitant to follow Jesus - to fully commit their lives to Him - because it would mean relinquishing control. And so we ignore the danger signs. We think that WE will be the ones to survive because WE are the ones in control.

There are many warning signs in the Bible. I read about them every day. They are warnings from God. Why? Because He loves us and does not want us to perish. Yet we choose to ignore . . . we fall off the cliff.

Placing our faith in Jesus IS a big step. It involves repentance - a changing of our life's direction. It involves listening to God's warning signs. "Flee from sexual immorality." and "You shall have no other gods before me" become words to lives by.

As we go through life we must always be on the lookout for dangerous things. It is SO much easier to avoid them if we read the warning signs, if we stay away from the cliffs and the jagged rocks. The Bible is filled with loving encouragement from our Father in heaven. Why? Because we are His children. He loves us and wants us to be free from the burden of sin.

He HAS warned us. In 66 books he has spelled things out. Now it is our responsibility. It is our choice. We can either heed God's warning signs or ignore them and lead a life of obedience. It's our choice. Whom will we serve today? God or ourselves?

"Choose today whom you will serve."

"14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15