Lines

As I studied my Bible thinking about what I was going to write about today I was taken back to a time I was out with my family at the grocery store. My mom had to run in and get something and she left us in the car. As I looked out the window, I noticed the parking lot was freshly paved. It was so fresh that the lines for the parking spaces had not been painted yet. Then, I looked around at how crooked and out of line the cars were. These people who have been parking for years were scattered all across the parking lot all because they didn’t have any lines to follow. They had all managed to make it to the parking lot, they even managed to park, but clearly, they were still out of place. The parking lot was not functioning at its maximal capacity all because of the lack of lines.

 

As humans, we all kind of know our purpose. We think about what we want to be when we grow up from the time we are 5 years old. We think about where we want to live, who we want to seek a relationship with, and when we are having children. We know the general timeline of a human lifespan and what types of things take place from the beginning until the end. But where are the guidelines for life?  

 

There are many books and articles out there that are marketed to serve as guidelines for everything under the sun. There’s a book on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that can teach you how to be effective in your professional life. There are articles on the 7 Cardinal Rules of Life that claim to tell you exactly how you can have a well-lived life. There are guidelines on how to lose weight, stay healthy, and every treatable disease you can think of. However, you could read all of these and still only get to the parking lot, not in a parking space. There is only one guideline that will get you where you need to be, the Bible.

 

A person can be made anew, just like that freshly paved parking lot, but without guidelines to follow through on life, they can still not be functioning to their maximal capacity. The Bible can serve as a guideline for every situation presented in life. This is why it is so important to read and study your Bible. There are many instances where scripture focuses on the importance of the Bible.

 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119:105 says Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

John 8:23 says And you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

So now you may be thinking that sounds great, but every time I read my Bible I can’t understand a thing I have read. My next blog post will have some helpful tips on reading the Bible. However, one of the most important things you can do is pray for knowledge and understanding.   

James 1:5-6 says If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Don’t be like a wave tossed in the sea blown by the wind or a car parked out of place in a parking lot with no guidelines. Seek guidance from the Lord above and through the Bible. This is where you will find true direction and peace.