A while back, in early June, signs went up here on
Elizabethtown Road stating paving would be starting. And, sure enough, a week or so
later, here came a crew to do just that. The process went fairly quickly, but there was a particular day that was trying; we were basically
trapped because of soft asphalt. As soon as the paving was done, another set of
signs went up, “No Pavement Markings.”
The signs were meant to draw the driver's attention. That seems
like a fine idea. The funny thing was – there were pavement markings. They
weren’t the normal pavement markings, not the normal double yellow line that
runs the length of the road by the church. Instead, every ten yards or so,
there was a little double dash, like an equal sign, to suggest what would
normally be there. The signs and dashes remained for quite some time. Then, although I didn’t see the work happen, suddenly, the normal lines were there. And so were the signs. A week or so after the normal lines have been put back, every so
often along the road, there is yet another sign, “No Pavement Markings.” I’m sure someone will eventually get around
to taking them down.
Still, it amuses me. One way or another, those signs are not in sync with what is happening. And it makes me think. Often, we can
be eager for something to happen; we get excited. But when we really get into it, we sometimes lose our enthusiasm to fully finish the task or
the project. How many can relate? You were gung-ho to “get in
shape.” You signed up at a gym or came
up with a plan to work out at home. You bought some workout clothes, new
shoes, maybe some equipment, maybe a special watch or other tracking device. You
bought a bike, weights, or a yoga mat. For the first two days, things went
great. Then you had to miss a day, something came up. But day four, back at it.
And off and on, for a couple of weeks, you did pretty well. You even felt a little
better, if not physically, at least mentally, because you were working out. But
then, over time, there were some early extra appointments, car
troubles, or you needed to take time for the vet, or the doctor, or a friend,
and what was left; signs of working out, without any real working out. Or something pricked your conscience, and you decided that
you were going to get serious about your faith, about reading the Bible, about
praying. You make a little plan to take time each day. Maybe you set up a
little spot in the house, a small table and chair, or a comfortable chair
with a reading light. You line up your Bible and a notebook. Maybe you even
bought a new Bible for the occasion. You wake up that first morning when you
decide to start your new practice, and it works! Whether you take time at the
beginning of the day, later, or the end of the day, it worked! Then you
do it again the next day, and the next day. But then, you oversleep a bit on the fourth day. Or there is an early doctor’s appointment that cuts short your new
routine. Or, you are into it, you are there taking time, but then the phone rings,
which you answer, but you don’t get back on track that day. And so, it continues, off and on,
over time more off than on. Until finally, there are more signs that you take
time to read and pray than actual reading and praying.
I’m not going to sit here and suggest that you need to be
perfect in your practices, whether it is for work, taking care of your family, exercising, or anything. Nobody is perfect. We make plans, and life interrupts.
Heaven knows I’m not perfect in my practices. What I do is challenge you to
consider – for yourself – how you are doing. Are you working on the things you want to work on, the things you need to work on? Or do the signs give mixed
messages to you and everyone else? It is easy to fool oneself into thinking
that there is more going on than there really is if we don’t pay close
attention to the signs.
All of us have different kinds of work to do in our lives. Work
requires planning, preparation, the actual work, and then follow up. Any kind
of work is likely to run into snags. Often, we will have more than one thing
going on at a time. It is easy to get distracted. Attention, and follow through
are keys to success that we do what we strive to do, and don’t end up fooling
ourselves and petering out. Don’t you have something that really needs to get
done?
Commit
to the Lord whatever you do, and
he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:13
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature
and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4
Grace, Mercy, and Peace,
Pastor Blaine
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