From the time we can crawl, our parents give us instructions for living. When we are young, instructions relate to our physical environment, how to find your mouth with a spoon, how to tie your shoes. When we’re older, they are more social, how to communicate, how to resolve conflicts.
Living in this age of changing technology, we have come to depend on good instructions. But sometimes we think we don't need them. Have you ever started doing something as simple as putting a new cartridge in your printer, without reading the instructions, to find yourself stumped half-way through?
Throughout the Bible God tells His people to pay attention to His Word, our instruction manual. Israel’s history is one of failing to read the instructions. One unforgettable example of this is when King David decided to bring the “Ark of the Covenant” back to Jerusalem. In good conscience, he put it on a new donkey cart. But when the rough road became threatenening, Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark, to steady it, and died instantly. Calling a halt to the moving project, David returned home and re-read God’s instructions for transporting the Ark (2 Samuel 6). What pain David could have avoided. Likewise, we will avoid a lot of pain in life if we just stop and read the instructions first. "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path...to keep me from stumbling" (Ps. 119:105; Jude 24).
In sports, a ‘playbook’ contains descriptions and diagrams of a team's plays. Outside the sports connotation, a ‘playbook’ is a set of strategies for conducting a business or political campaign. For example,“Romney borrowed a page from Reagan's playbook.” Regarding the fickle state of our current financial fiasco, economists worry there is no playbook for responding to unprecedented events (USA Today, 6/21/12).
Professional sports teams, businesses, and election campaigns alike know they need a playbook to compete and succeed. Christians needs one too! Our playbook is the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). And we can’t succeed without knowing it, reading it, learning it, memorizing it, and most importantly, following it—to the letter (Josh. 1:8).
Satan has a playbook too. And we are greatly disadvantaged if we don’t know his schemes and strategies (2 Cor. 2:11). But we can counter him if we stick to the plan. With uncertainty surrounding us, our success can only be assured if we keep it close at hand, and pay close attention to it (Heb 2:1). Reminds me of the expression, “when all else fails, read the instructions.”
Once again I am a student—officially. I am taking post-graduate classes in theology at Liberty University Online. It’s a little intimidating, if not overwhelming to learn how to use the online tools—learning how to use the virtual black board, how to post my assignments, etc. And when I don’t understand the instructions, my first reaction is fear. In fact, quite honestly, it’s more akin to “panic.” But I have to slow down and read the instructions again. I have to quiet myself to reduce the level of anxiety.
It reminds me that whenever we go through experiences—called trials—that are bewildering and disorienting, our first reaction is fear. At this point, our challenge is to quiet ourselves and go back (return) to God’s instructions—the Bible. It is there we find perspective: “In returning and rest, you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence is your strength” (Is. 30:15).
To correctly interpret your difficult circumstances, God's perspective is vital. Every crisis should grab our attention; what better time to hear God speak. One word He always gives in such situations, "Do not be afraid." Fear is the human reaction to problems. Hope is God's reaction. “After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram" (Gen. 15:1)
A Los Angeles woman is suing Google for giving her bad walking directions. As a result of following them she was hit by a car. Although Google Maps directed her to take a busy highway, it also warned her that the highway might not be suitable—“that the route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.” She failed to heed the warning, and suffered the consequences.
This is not just another example of our litigious-happy culture. Worse, it reveals a particularly passive part of fleshly nature—responsibility avoidance. Ever since Adam failed to follow instructions, mankind has been trying to figure out who he can blame for the unhappy ending. In my years of counseling, I found this to be one of the most common ailments for those seeking help. Having failed to follow God’s instructions, they were suffering from the undesirable consequences. My task was to get out the instruction manual and help them start over.
For those of you in search of God’s direction for your life, may I remind you to read God’s instructions carefully? “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6).
