"Listen To The Warning"

"But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you." Jeremiah 7:23

Years ago, I learned a very valuable, and painful lesson, about listening.  I was outside working on something in the yard. I had to stretch and bend my body in order to reach what I was doing. I was in a very awkward position and put a strain on my back. The longer I was there, the more I could feel the pressure and pulling in my back. I could hear my back "talking" to me. It was saying, "Ouch, stop, stop doing that, this is hurting, quit!" Well, I continued. I didn't want to stop until I got the task finished-- after all, it was only going to take another minute or two to complete. I should have listened to my body because it didn't end well.

 

My body was warning me not to do what I was doing. I did not heed the warning, so I faced the consequences. The worse pain hit my back, and I wound up sending the rest of that beautiful day inside on the couch unable to do anything else.

 

Not only did I learn a valuable lesson about listening to my body when it is trying to tell me something, but it also reminded me of how many times we don't listen to the warnings that God's Word gives us. God created our bodies in such a way that if we will pay attention to them, we can save ourselves from a lot of pain and hurt. God has also given us His Word to give us warnings, guidance, help, wisdom and instruction and if we will pay attention and heed those warnings, we can save ourselves a lot of grief, heartache and misery. Listening to and obeying God's Word keeps us from sin. It keeps us from destruction. It keeps us from going the wrong direction and living a less than abundant life. Obeying God's Word gives us peace, keeps us in the center of His will, and makes us productive. 

 

I did not listen to the warning my body was giving me because I wanted to get what I was doing finished. We also come up with "good reasons" why we don't listen to God's Word. Some are: we think we know better than God does; we think that just a little disobedience won't hurt anything; we think that we are in control, so the consequences won't happen to us. Don't kid yourself-- whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. 

 

I thought I had a good reason not to listen to my body, so I never expected that to happen and that I would be facing those consequences. When we disobey God's Word, sin enters. It has been said that sin will take you where you don't want to go and keep you there longer than you wanted to stay. A lot of people never dreamed they would end up where they did-- but it happened. I never dreamed while I was working on what I was doing that the day would end with me on the couch-- but it did. Therefore, give heed, pay attention and obey the warnings of God's Word and you won't wind up where you don't want to be-- facing the consequences.

 

Have a great day. If you ignore the warnings of God's Word you will face the consequences for it. 

 

For further reading:

Psalm 119:11

James 1:22

2 Timothy 3:16,17

Galatians 6:7