Years ago when I was a kid we were on vacation out west. It was a Sunday and my dad kept trying to get us back on the interstate. There was a problem though - major road construction made it next to impossible to find the “on ramp.” After many attempts to find the “on ramp” and after many attempts to find someone to help direct us, my dad made a risky decision: He went up the “off ramp” to get back onto the interstate! Thankfully because it was a Sunday, there were no on coming cars coming down the “off ramp”!
Now I would not necessarily advise you to do the same, however life can be a lot like “on ramps” and “off ramps.” Sometimes we find our way clearly and others times...well we don’t. Possibly life is “under construction” all around us and the direction signs aren’t as easily recognizable. Worship can sometimes be like this.
Let’s face it, there are times when we face incredible barriers to worshipping God. Sure He made us and sure we are eternally indebted to Him, but there are times when we just can find the “on ramp” to get into worship. Possibly we woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Or we face a really difficult day. Whatever the situation, there are times when it seems like every where we turn there are barriers keeping us from finding the “on ramp” into true worship of God.
Abraham was a person just like us except he lived a really, really, really long time ago. The Bible speaks of Abraham as a man of faith, yet this man of faith faced HUGE barriers to finding the “on ramp” to worship. He did not always get it right - remember Ishmael?
But he did eventually find the “on ramp” into true worship of God. How did he do it? Simple and yet hard: He ignored his flesh and obeyed what God had told him. He trusted what God had told him and he went with it. We can do the same today - we may see barriers all around, but if we will trust and obey God, no matter how we feel, we will discover the “on ramp” to true worship! Just let go and let God - now that is an “on ramp” for life period!
Loving and Leading,
Jeff Powell
