Looking for a Sign?

A small town in Texas had one gas station - the Conoco - where residents could buy gas, snacks, milk, a cup of coffee, and, surprisingly enough, delicious pizza! Outside the Conoco was a marquee sign that kept the townsfolk apprised of breaking local news such as school and church events, births, and engagements. Functionally, it was the town’s daily Facebook post.

As a child growing up in a strict religious denomination, I remember thinking, “If only God would put a marquee sign outside my front door spelling out precisely what He wanted me to choose that day, I would gladly walk in His path. If only it were that simple.”

The first five and a half chapters of the Book of Micah lay out God’s case against the people of Samaria and Jerusalem for their rebellion against Him. Micah spelled out for his audience that God’s judgment would bring utter disaster. But, for those willing to heed the warning and return to the Lord, Micah explains what the Lord requires.

In a way, Micah 6:8 is a “marquee sign” with bullet points of justice, faithfulness, and humility. However, the danger is that the third point might still elude us even if we walk well in the first two. Today’s culture of social media posts, influencers, and self-promotion certainly does not lead us to model humility, where we “set aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness” (The Amplified Bible).

The Message version of Micah 6:8 begins, “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor; be compassionate and loyal in your love.” The rest of that version would also go beautifully on a marquee sign: “And don’t take yourself too seriously — take God seriously.”

Are you taking God seriously? While He may not give us a marquee sign in our path, He does provide clear guidance and direction in His Word so that we can walk in His ways.

Reflect & Pray

Lord, help me stay in Your Word, knowing it will show me how to follow Your steps. It is that simple. Today, show me ways to treat others fairly, love others well, and keep my eyes focused on You, not myself. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Go Deeper with Ben Young

Someone to Walk Alongside You
Once you commit to walking with God, you will soon realize that you need people in your life who can help you get back up when you get knocked down. You need others to help you to keep walking strong. We all need people in our lives who have been walking with God for a long time. To use today’s terms, we need to have mentors. These are people who have walked with God for many years. They have seen the big waves and have weathered the storms of life. They know what it is like to walk with God in good times and in bad.

So much of our walk with God is not taught, but it is caught by spending time with people who have been in the trenches, have been faithful, and know how to dig deep into God’s Word. They know to turn to Scripture for encouragement, endurance, and that real and solid hope. We are indeed fortunate when we find people like that who are willing to walk alongside us - godly mentors who have acquired wisdom and are willing to pour into our lives, continually point us to Jesus, teach us, and show us what it means to be a “success” in the eyes of God.