Have you ever felt unsure about what to do? What job should I pursue? Is this the right neighborhood
to live in? Should I forgive that friend who hurt me? What should I say to my neighbor going through a
divorce? How do we find answers to life’s tough questions?
I remember going on road trips as a child to visit family. Most of my extended family lived in rural Ohio,
and to get there, we needed to drive for hours on winding backcountry roads. With three boys in the
car, my parents had a monumental task keeping us from killing each other in the back seat, so they
would make up games for us to play along the journey. This was well before iPhones or tablets, so we
spotted license plates or counted farm animals behind fences near the road. One game I recall playing
was “Guess which way the road will curve next,” which was perfect for the twists and turns of these
country roads. I quickly discovered there were road signs that clearly showed each upcoming turn for
the driver’s safety, and I used these safety signs to make my “guess”. Somehow, my brothers never
caught on and were amazed when I got every single turn correct. I was amazed they weren’t reading
the signs. But then it dawned on me: They weren’t reading the signs because they weren’t looking for
them. They were counting on their own telepathic skills, while I was counting on the road crew that put
the sign ahead of each curve along the road. I had no clue what was coming next, but I knew someone
else did and had accurately placed these signs there. It’s like that with God. We can either go through
life counting on our own strengths and skills, or we can look to the One who spoke the world into
existence and knows tomorrow as well as yesterday.
The books in the Bible from Isaiah to Daniel are referred to as the books of the Major Prophets. Chosen
by God to be His spokesmen, they provided much-needed signs to the people of God. Much like the
safety signs along the road that keep us from driving into the ditch. They offered warnings about the
consequences of sin and called the wandering nation of Israel to return to the Lord. They shared
prophecies about Israel, sometimes in the near future and sometimes much further ahead. These
prophets spoke boldly because they weren’t sharing their own thoughts, but those of God. Judgment
and punishment for repeated disobedience would be followed by hope and redemption of a loving God.
Over and over again. The ultimate hope of a Savior and His work of grace and redemption is sprinkled
throughout these books. But Israel often failed to listen, ignoring the signs and relying on their own
power and ability rather than that of their King and Creator. And each bad choice was met by pain and
struggle.
Why do we do that? Why do we ignore God and try to go our own way? Why do we labor over life and
important decisions rather than simply bringing all things to Him? Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We
have all the signs we need to live a fruitful and purposeful life. God has placed those signs exactly where
we need them to be to warn us about the dangers ahead and to keep us safely on the right road. We
just need to look for them. We have God’s word. We have prayer. We have the Spirit of God living
right within us. We just need to stop relying on our own ability and turn to God, obeying Him and
trusting He has the right plan for us.
Dale Coates