“I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” Hebrews 8:10B
To obtain a driver’s permit, an individual must meet specific criteria set by the governing authorities. No one wishing to drive is exempt from the rules, and no one can bypass the testing process. To be licensed, the applicant must meet the age restrictions, medical restrictions, and the necessity to pass both a written test and a practical road test. Oddly enough, the candidate does not need 100% to pass the written test; they have to meet the standard that the society’s governing body has set.
God sets a moral standard for society’s behaviour, sprinkling these guidelines (laws) throughout the scripture. Most are designed to guide our community interactions. They show us how to focus on respect and love so that we do not cause physical or even emotional anguish to others or ourselves. The driver permits testing expectations exemplify society accepting a lower standard for an activity that potentially affects us all. There is no absolute uproar as to whether a driver can identify road signs unless they happen to disobey one and end up injuring or killing a family member. Outrage is expressed, and often money exchanges hands, and then we settle down to complacency until the next person runs a yellow light. Yet, society, for some reason, does not sit silent when it comes to God’s standard, and it openly and constantly condemns God and His laws. Sadly, it is not only unbelievers who participate in this critique, as many followers second-guess God’s intent. When a law does not fit their agenda, they easily categorize it as archaic or irrelevant to today’s society. We also have the “holy huddle” that interprets God’s intent in a way that causes them to line the streets with placards as they take it upon themselves to judge the sinner. They often forget why they are offended and end up portraying God as an unloving judge.
Unlike society, which says we don’t have to know all the rules of the road but eagerly punishes the imperfect driver, God says, “I would like you to know all the rules, but in your imprecation, I know you can’t, and so if you ask, I’ll help you when you break one”. God knows what is best for us. God wants what is best for us but has given us the free will to choose what is best. God forgives and forgets, but that does not mean we get a free ride. We must daily seek to obey Him. Jesus, during his sermon on the Mount, said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them” (Matthew 5:17). The law is still the law.
If you are struggling with what is right or wrong, don’t turn to society for an interpretation; turn to God. Don’t look to a newspaper or civil law but look to scripture. We will find God’s intent when we believe in Jesus and seek to have the Holy Spirit prod us. Jesus is the way to God, and the Holy Spirit can illuminate the words He spoke to help us understand the meaning behind God’s laws. We can’t expect to find the truth if we only read bits of scripture that suit our needs. If we desire, we can see God’s intent in scripture, but we must choose to look for it. We can’t expect to hear the truth if we only speak to God when we want something. If we desire, we can listen for the Holy Spirit to nudge us before we fall off the path.
Pray that we do not see the laws as a burden or hindrance to our earthly happiness. Pray that we can understand and follow them. Pray that we find a way to treat them as loving tips to a healthy relationship with God and those He puts in our community. Pray that our brothers and sisters do not identify God as the author of do’s and don’ts but as a loving Father who does not want to see His children harmed.