Guard Rails
Guard rails are everywhere. They are on the freeways, on both, the sides and in the center to divide lanes. They are on mountain roads, seperating man from nature.
They are found at racetracks, standing between fans and machines. They are a good thing.
Guard rails are designed to protect us. If we lose control of our car on the freeway, the guard rail is there to keep us from going into oncoming traffic, or from plummeting off bridges. They are not only to protect us, but also protect those around us...innocent bystanders benefit from guard rails too. Life is saved because of them.
The world needs more guard rails, not on our freeways, racetracks and roads, but in our
daily living. (although I do not understand why there isnt a guard rail between drag cars)
God has provided man with guard rails. He has laid out boundaries for mankind to follow. Boundaries set to prolong a mans life and to save a man from spinning out of control.
God has set guard rails in creation, to benefit mankind.
Oh, many will argue that Gods boundaries are limiting man, perhaps oppressing man. Really?
Have you crossed one of Gods boundaries, are you on the wrong side of one now? How does it feel?
I lived my life outside of Gods boundaries for 25 years. I was cold, hateful and burned out. I looked out for "number one", I figured that was me.
At 25 years I thought life was too long. I became self destructive and wreckless.
I would ride my Suzuki Katana at extreme speeds..with cops in pursuit. I would see how fast I could ride it in the fog...fact was I didnt really care if I hit something or not.
One night I did hit something, a guard rail! A guard rail put up to protect a bicycle path from morons like myself. The fact is; hitting that guard rail was dangerous...hitting one head on like that can kill you. I believe God spared my life that night. I didnt realize it at the time, but I do now.
I continued to live outside of Gods guard rails until I finally had enough of this life.
What was my purpose here?
I had been banging my head against guard rails for too long and I was tired.
Despair, was the result of my "freedom" from Gods guard rails.
I knew that something had to change, it was then that I thought about life, death, God, heaven and hell. I thought about the guard rails I had crossed. I had thought about the innocent bystanders which I had hurt by crossing those boundaries.
Since then the Lord Jesus has brought me down the road quite some way. He has shown me and taught me about the guard rails he has placed in my life, for my own good. I trust Him, and I know from experience that He is right.
Can you push the limits of the physical guard rails placed on our highways? Sure. You can have close calls here and there, or even scrape up against one, unharmed.
As for the guard rails that God has put up for our own good, may I suggest that you dont push those limits. Even brushing up against sin can be harmful to us and to those around us.
Sin is not cute, sin is not fun, it is destruction waiting to happen.
Like a drag car, try and keep it as straight as possible...as any racer knows even scraping or heading toward a guardrail in a drag car can mean disaster.
May God Bless you on your lifes journey and keep you safe within the rails.
C. Jones