Not many people exercise enough patience to read the owner’s manual when they get a new equipment or a car. We love to hit the ground running. When I first got the gift of Toyota Fortuner, it came with an unusually big owner’s manual. I didn’t read it on purpose, but had to refer to it on a couple of occasions when I ran into difficulties on how to maneuver the car. God wants us to use the Bible as owner’s manual, but not in the same way I did with the car. It should be a part and parcel of our daily life, and not occasionally when we run into trouble. Incidentally, taking heed to its provisions can prevent us from getting into trouble to begin with.

We are better off if, when we hear His voice either through nature or mature counsel of a trusted friend, we receive it with listening ears.

There is something else I learned from my experience with the car. An important feature of that car is the factory-fitted speed limit. The maximum speed is set for 120 Km/hour. The moment you are any fraction above that, you hear a beep; but that is not forever. It sounds about five times. If you neglect the warning and press the throttle harder, it will stop to beep. I guess the car seems to say, “Since you are not ready to go within my recommended limit, you are on your own”! I think this is an illustration of God’s dealings with us. He will use any of His numerous ways to show us the light and restrain us from excesses and dangerous paths. If we neglect His light, we are on our own. Neglecting His warning will not always have a happy ending. We are better off if, when we hear His voice either through nature or mature counsel of a trusted friend, we receive it with listening ears.