Several weeks ago, Terry and I were driving home when we saw a huge turtle in the middle of the road. As we drove by it, the turtle didn’t budge, so Terry turned around so we could go back and move it. I told him I would hop out and carry it to the side of the road, but Terry told me not to pick it up; it might bite/snap at me. He said, “Gently nudge it with your foot to redirect it.”
Terry pulled all the way over from the road, and I got out and walked back to the turtle. This turtle was huge. I gently turned it with my foot, and nudged it toward the grass so he could be safe.
As soon as I did so, the turtle, stubborn and determined to go his own way, heading right back out toward the middle of the busy road.
I would nudge it toward the side of the road, it would move back toward the center. I would nudge it again, it moved back toward the center.
Terry finally got out as we both laughed at this turtle not understanding we were trying to protect it; picked it up from the turtle’s sides, and carried it over to the grass.
We got back in the truck and were driving away when Terry looked up in his rearview mirror and said, “He’s already back out on the road!”
I think about that turtle every time we drive by the same spot. It makes me wonder how many times does God do this with us? He nudges us in a different direction toward safety, we move back to the middle of the road. He nudges us with His Holy Spirit and places Godly people in our lives; we push them away.
“Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6 (NIV)
We are not going to hear an audible voice from God, but when we immerse ourselves in His Word, we know what His message is. We know which way is the way we should go in order to get to the Father. It’s simple. It’s Jesus and only Jesus.
We know better than to have any sort of idol who is not God. We know better than to defend anything that does not align with the words of Jesus. The trouble is, will we go the right way to seek God, or will we head back into the center of the road because we think it will be an easier route?
Will we be courageous enough to allow God’s Word to lead us toward righteousness for His glory, or will we be too tempted to take the easy way, and go with the crowd down the middle of the road?
Oh how I pray we will be bold and courageous and allow only Jesus to lead us. He is the only way toward what is right, which is God the Father.