January 31, 2024

Last summer, the Sheriff’s department in Bay County, Florida was totally exasperated. Seven people died in a month swimming at Panama Beach. It wasn’t the fact that there were simply drownings, or that there were so many of them. Their frustration came from how hard they had worked to warn people not to go into the water on days when the beaches were clearly marked with signs that the riptides were too strong for swimming. Deputies were harassed for making people get out of the surf. They were cussed at for enforcing the $500 fines that were clearly posted for violations. Swimmers and surfers mocked them for doing what they were hired to do—serve and protect. Seven people in only one month paid more than a fine for ignoring their guidelines. They paid with their lives.
When Jesus invites us to follow Him, it is for much more than His desire to receive our worship. He calls us to receive His Grace and to follow His Words because they are for our salvation, our protection, and our provision. The Scripture is clear that “There is no other name under heaven by which a man can be saved” except the name of Jesus. To ignore His offer of forgiveness is to sentence ourselves to destruction. But even after “believing and receiving,” Jesus calls us to “follow.” Salvation isn’t the end but only the beginning.
Many of us have made the mistake of not following the guidelines Jesus gives us for living and ignoring His warnings. Like the swimmers and surfers, we choose to live by our own rules. So we jump into the waters of our own decisions and follow the waves of our own foolishness. Not only does that put us in danger, but it often leaves us suffering the consequences of devastating, life-altering choices. Please hear my heart today. Jesus doesn’t give us commandments and guidelines to steal our fun or hold us captive, no more than the Sheriff’s department was trying to ruin the enjoyment of beachgoers. He gives us those things so that we can experience the joy and freedom of a blessed and protected life. Trust His love, not your ego. And obey the signs on the beach. That’s God’s Word for you today.