Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

One morning while driving in to work, I was almost pushed off the road by a very reckless driver.

The man carelessly switched from one lane to another and, in so doing, put himself, and a lot of others folks in danger.

I wondered, "How much time did he save driving like a nut?" That question was answered by Cliff Bergere, a one-time driver at the Indianapolis Speedway. As an experiment, Cliff was asked to drive a 15-block course in Colorado Springs. Cliff followed the traffic rules and finished in 9 minutes and 35.1 seconds.

Then, with police permission, he did the same course at illegal speeds. He broke 52 traffic rules and cut a grand total of 3.9 seconds off his time. If you're like me, you may conclude 3.9 seconds isn't worth the risk.

Of course, we're just talking about driving here. I wonder, "How many of us don't do that kind of thing in our lives?" Think of how many of us are rushing, pushing, driving our days at breakneck speed.

And, for what purpose? What does it get us?

The Lord has given us a beautiful world, and many wonderful people surround us. Because of Jesus' sacrifice and redemption, the really big problems of life have been taken care of. As for life's other problems, well, God has blessed us, and it is right we take time to appreciate His blessings. That's what Psalm 46 wants us to do: be still and know the Lord.

And, as a final thought, if you're not ready to do it for yourself, please do it for the peace of the folks around you.


From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"



THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, give me the patience and wisdom to appreciate You, my salvation, and Your myriad blessings that surround me. Grant me a quiet moment to thank You for all I don't deserve, but that You continue to give. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Judges 13-15    Luke 15:1-10

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