Follow the DE-no-INstructions
By Elin Henderson
“Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.”
Proverbs 4:13
By Elin Henderson
“Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life.”
Proverbs 4:13
Have you ever started a project and about halfway through, think to yourself, “What in the world have I gotten myself into?” For some reason that frequently happens to me. A few months ago my son discovered a “make your own” castle in a Family Fun magazine. For months now, he has been begging me to sit down and make it with him. This last week I finally conceded. However, several days into this endeavor with blisters on my hands from cutting cardboard, paint under my nails, and a mess that would take days to clean up, that very question above was whirling around in my head. Of course my son’s enthusiasm never waned! At one point I was working hard, concentrating as I tried to figure out a certain part of this castle when he said to me, “Mom, why don’t you just follow the destructions?” I had to stop and laugh and realize, yes, perhaps I should just follow the destructions after all!
A few days later, the paint is still under my nails and the blisters are almost healed, but I got to thinking about what he had to say. Sometimes we create destructions by not following the instructions! The Bible has plenty to say in regards to this area. Take a look through Proverbs and you will find verse after verse hammering home the importance of following instructions. Whatever our project or predicament, His Word provides ample instructions for us to follow. In Proverbs 4:10-13, He promises that when we do follow His instructions, He will lead us in wisdom, guide us along His upright paths, watch over our steps, keep us from stumbling, and more.
So, next time you find yourself knee-deep in some project with no end in sight, or when you are wondering what to do next or where to go next, just remember to “follow the instructions” and keep clear of those “destructions”!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you follow God’s instructions or do you tend to do life your own way? What motivates your decision?
2. For Fun: Take a highlighter and read through the first few chapters of Proverbs, highlighting the number of times “Instruction” is used and noting the promises related to following after it.
FURTHER READING:
Proverbs 1-4
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and six-year-old Elias.
A few days later, the paint is still under my nails and the blisters are almost healed, but I got to thinking about what he had to say. Sometimes we create destructions by not following the instructions! The Bible has plenty to say in regards to this area. Take a look through Proverbs and you will find verse after verse hammering home the importance of following instructions. Whatever our project or predicament, His Word provides ample instructions for us to follow. In Proverbs 4:10-13, He promises that when we do follow His instructions, He will lead us in wisdom, guide us along His upright paths, watch over our steps, keep us from stumbling, and more.
So, next time you find yourself knee-deep in some project with no end in sight, or when you are wondering what to do next or where to go next, just remember to “follow the instructions” and keep clear of those “destructions”!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you follow God’s instructions or do you tend to do life your own way? What motivates your decision?
2. For Fun: Take a highlighter and read through the first few chapters of Proverbs, highlighting the number of times “Instruction” is used and noting the promises related to following after it.
FURTHER READING:
Proverbs 1-4
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and six-year-old Elias.
