R U a Roadblock?

I live in an area of South Carolina know as Murrells Inlet, about 14 miles south of Myrtle Beach...we are the Seafood Capital of South Carolina (at least that's what the sign reads).

We are probably the fastest growing area in SC due to the warm climate, affordable housing and laid back lifestyle...oh yeah, we have that beach thing going for us too; however, with all this growth and the influx of vacationers we see between Memorial Day and Labor day, our traffic can be HORRENDOUS...especially since we have fewer than the needed roads and the current ones in place are much smaller in configuration to handle large numbers of automobiles. So now, in the area in which I live, we have 6 road-widening projects under construction and traffic is worse than ever....especially when they put up the roadblocks to do construction... you can end up waiting sometimes 45 minutes or more before traffic starts moving again.

I am not complaining because I know we need the new roads, but I was struck by the idea of the roadblocks as a hindrance when I was reading Acts 11 today, especially when Peter is telling the Jews back at home how he came to preach the gospel to the unclean Gentiles and how they were baptized by the Holy Spirit...verse 17 says, "If then, God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

And that got me thinking...how many times do you and I take it upon ourselves and become a hindrance, a roadblock to the workings of God. He has called us to be His servants, but too often, we think we know better and decide that the situation really calls for us to be in control and to do things our way so the outcome will be something we can live with or even better, something we can be proud of! How misguided are we that we should stand in the way of what God is doing...blocking His heavenly plans with one of our own.

How often have you and I failed to step out in faith to do or give or go to a place or person that God has laid on our heart? When we do this, we become the roadblock of God's love and grace that He so longingly wants to bestow on someone or some situation. We throttle back God's love by our lack of obedience and we stand in opposition to the works that He would do and accomplish if only we were willing and available and not stuck in our selfish ways.

So the next time God pulls on your heartstrings to share His love with a friend, a co-worker, an employee or even a total stranger, ask yourself as Peter did, "Who am I to stand in God's way?" Rather,  instruct yourself to say, "Lord, help me be obedient and not become a roadblock, but rather a conduit of your love for everyone you place in my path today!"

Living in these times a life that directs others to Jesus....

WPQ