Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Yield the Right-of-Way
We yield the right-of-way in our vehicles all the time. And if we don’t, we may have to call 911 and hire a tow truck. I sometimes approach a four-way stop and not actually know who got there first. That’s when I look at the driver for a hand sign. (Fortunately, I’ve never had the naughty finger waved at me.) The other driver either motions for me to go, or simply proceeds through the intersection as I wait. Now, roundabouts are a completely different story. As far as I’m concerned, those things should have stayed in Britain and never crossed the Atlantic. When entering a roundabout, my mind goes back to jumping rope during grade-school recess. I had to learn how to “run in” while the rope was in motion. It takes some drivers longer than I have patience for when they’re trying to merge into the circle. Just give me a traffic light with green, yellow, and red. I can always eat cashews while I wait for the light to turn green.
It’s rather stupid not to yield our will to God and let Him have the right-of-way. Often, a believer’s greatest struggle is being resistant to God’s will. Most of the time we know what His will is, but we aren’t willing to follow through by yielding our personal ideas and plans. It’s a dangerous position to be in when you understand God clearly, but refuse to yield. It’s like an accident going somewhere to happen.
Believers are to have a listening ear and quick, obedient action to the voice and will of God. “The Sovereign Lord has given me His words of wisdom… Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will. The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away” (Isaiah 50:4-5 NLT). As we study God’s Word, we ought to pray for the grace of God to reveal His will for us. Then be alert to all that God wants to say and do through us as His children.
If a stubborn Christ follower crashes through every yield sign God puts out, it’s time to stop, pray, and recalculate his/her life in order to be in alignment with God’s design. It’s a no-brainer choice. We can humbly yield to God and experience joy and contentment, or we can foolishly resist and live in fear and misery. We must choose whether we turn right or left at the corner of Rebellion Road and Obedient Street.
We don’t want to be out-of-sorts with God. It’s to the best of our interest to please God. He knows what’s best for us and we’re often simply too dumb to know it. Jesus compared believers to sheep, which are known to be one of the dumbest animals.
If we want to fulfill God’s plan for our life, we should wake up every morning and ask Him to lead us throughout the day as we yield our will to Him. A yielded life results in living the abundant, unsearchable blessings of Christ. He’ll watch over us to ensure that we rest in green pastures so that our souls can be restored. When we trade our will for His will, it’s the deal of a lifetime!
“…O Lord, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the Potter. We all are formed by Your hand” (Isaiah 64:8 NLT). If we have a genuine, personal relationship with the Potter and humbly yield our will to His design, we’ll be blessed and have peace of mind. Until we want what God wants, we’re never going to be happy!
The Key: Yield the right-of-way to God so you won’t crash in life’s roundabout.