We went over something in service at Fusion last week that I had never caught before. Check out this verse from Acts.
We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
- Acts 26:14
As Pastor Tony explained during the service, goads are a device used to prod the oxen into doing what they were supposed to be doing. Sort of like spurs for a horse, just sharper and on the end of a stick. What you don't read here is the fact that the goads were only used on the experienced oxen, the ones that already knew what they were supposed to be doing but were just feeling rebellious. An inexperienced Ox that was not aware of what he was supposed to be doing would never have been subjected to goads to begin with. So while on the surface this can read as appearing to be new news to Saul, the fact is he was fully aware that what he was doing was wrong.
I have a confession, I speed, a lot, like everywhere I go. I know it’s wrong and I'm breaking the law. I've even gone as far as to cost justify it to myself. At one point I was making weekly treks back and forth to central Florida, and I reasoned that if I went 15mph over the speed limit on the highway for a 7 hour trip I would save an hour, each way. Time = Money right? If I could get away with speeding 95% of the time I was way ahead in my mind $ wise, I feel my time is pretty valuable, an extra hour at home with my family is worth a lot to me. I'm still an idiot, I shouldn't be speeding and the long term costs are far higher than my silly math can take into account. Increased insurance costs, budgeting hiccups because we have to keep stroking checks to podunk cities in south Georgia not to mention the not so nice task of informing your wife you've got another driving award and trying to explain how you're really ahead overall.
The point is, we all have things we do that we know we are not supposed to be doing. When was the last time you stopped and took stock of your priorities and compared them with Gods priorities for you? Stop kicking against the goads and start getting on with a full life by following the plan God has for you.
(I'm not advocating speeding, do not use this post as an excuse for your illicit activities, in other words, be stupid at your own risk)
