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DEVOTION / Don't Need Instructions?

DEVOTION / Don't Need Instructions?

Devotions, Blog

A Christmas surprise

Laughter erupted when I opened my daughter's Christmas gift. The shirt had the Binford Tools logo with the byline: "Real Men Don't Need Instructions!"

The shirt was a reminder of the old Home Improvement TV show and its main character, Tim Taylor, who was famous for not following instructions. My family knows that I'm a little like Tim. Some projects have turned out "not so good" when I thought I knew what to do and finding out too late I didn't.

Instructions not followed

The Bible is full of accounts where people didn't follow God's instructions, and it caused all kinds of problems.

  • The Garden of Eden.

  • The Tower of Babel.

  • Moses and the rock.

  • The Israelites refusing to enter the Promised Land.

  • Jonah's call to go to Nineveh.

Attitude check

Is your attitude about instructions ever the same as mine?

  • "Sure, I know what to do!"

  • "I can do that on my own!" 

  • "What? Me? Need instructions? You have to be kidding!"

  • "Let me try this first. I'll use the instructions if I need to..."

  • "Instructions are over-rated. Let's just get this done!"

  • "Instructions? What instructions?"

Pretty easy to get in trouble with attitudes like that. God warns us about being puffed up with pride and thinking we know more than we do. He cautions that "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death" (Proverbs 4:12) The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10 to remember the Old Testament accounts that are given as examples and warnings to follow God's ways. "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).

Instructions followed

Of course, following God's instructions leads to salvation and great blessings. Wonderful examples of this include

  • Noah and the ark.

  • Joshua and the City of Jericho.

  • The building of Solomon's Temple. 

Ultimate Example

The life and ministry of Jesus is the perfect example of God's plan being followed to the letter. It is Jesus who did what we--and no one in the world--could ever do. It is Jesus’ instruction-following that forgives us for failing to follow his Father’s instructions.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to do what we could never do. Thank you for your Word that instructs us. Send your Spirit into our lives so that we can follow your ways. Lead us to share these life-saving messages with others!

About 316NOW 

316NOW strives to share this lifesaving message with millions in China who have lost the instructions or did not even know there were instructions.