Don’t Get Off Track
We read these words in Joshua 1:7…
“Be strong, and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant, Moses, gave you; do not turn from it to the right, or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”
Here, Joshua is being instructed to remain strong, and have courage in the face of great difficulty, and to obey the word of God. Doing these two things will position him for success in leading God’s people to the promised land. The message translation of the verse says this…
“Don’t get off track, either to the left or the right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going.”
God has a specific plan for your life and mine. This plan started before we were born. Yes, according to Psalm 139:14-16, God has scheduled each day of our lives before we began to breathe. To see this specific plan fulfilled in our lives we must stay on track following God’s word and living in daily obedience to his will. We can do this by being the word of God everyday - seeking and committing our lives daily to him. In Provers 16:3 we read, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plan will succeed.” It’s making sure that our plans are his plans and when they are, he will guide our steps and lead us along the path of his will.
Consider this harrowing account as an illustration…
“Last year, a subway operator in New York pulled onto the wrong tracks as he left the Canal Street station. He headed uptown on the downtown rails. The dispatcher frantically tried to radio the train, but the crew didn’t hear the emergency broadcast. The driver continued for several stops util he saw the headlights of a southbound train coming towards him. Both trains managed to stop in time or it could have been a disaster. Interestingly, the passengers had no idea that they were on the wrong tracks. They sat there napping, or reading their newspapers, or listening to their earphones, oblivious to the potential fatal mistake.”
Let me ask you, are you on or off track concerning God’s plan for your life? Like the subway train in the story, we can easily get on the wrong track. This happens when we neglect God’s word, act disobediently, make the wrong choices, and seek to do life our way instead of God’s way. Stay on track with God’s plan - position yourself to hear the words of our Savior in Matthew 25:21, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”