Daily Devo
Stop Signs
By: Mae Archila
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
“Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield” Psalm 33:20
Stop signs are everywhere, and it is a sign that is globally recognized. Its main purpose is to be seen and obeyed by approaching traffic; notifying drivers that they must come to a complete stop until it’s safe to proceed. Stop signs are designed for our protection and safety and they not only protect us, they protect our children, families, and friends. Interestingly, we’ve all experienced an odd feeling of needing to immediately comply with the authority that a stop sign represents. This feeling is our conscience verifying that the right thing to do is stop! A similar principle occurs in our Christian journey as we encounter spiritual stop signs in our path. God places these divine stop signs in our lives for a distinct purpose…to save us from the dangers lurking in our world.
Rushing through life can cause us to run through a spiritual stop sign which leaves us in a place we don’t want to be. Instead, it’s wise to stop and wait for God’s leading before proceeding. He alone knows what lies ahead, and there is a victory waiting on the other side of a divine stop. Stopping and waiting can also be one of the most productive things we can do in life. It helps us gather our thoughts, see where we are, where we are going, and who’s going with us. When we move forward with God, He will guide us down correct paths.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
God ‘s first stop sign to mankind was when He commanded man not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose to go right through God’s divine stop sign, and we’ve needed a Savior ever since. Whenever God's Word or the Holy Spirit says "stop", it’s not up for debate or interpretation. It is a declarative command of authority that requires our immediate compliance. Metal signs will one day fade and turn to rust, but the life-transforming authority found in God’s Word is unchanging, unfailing, and it will last forever! Isaiah declares it like this, “The grass withers and the flowers fall: but the Word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8
Next time you’re at a "stop sign" of life, call out to Jesus and ask Him to direct your steps!