Take Back the Wheel

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires."~2 Peter 1:2-4 NLT


After spending the day with my grandson (age 3), I stopped to smile and think of some of his observations and curiosities about life. After some discussion about baseball teams, he informed me that Aunt Sherry is a Hawkeye fan. He said even though cats like to eat little birds, Hawkeyes aren't good for us to eat. Looking into his precious dark brown eyes, it took all the energy inside myself to not laugh out loud. I  replied that I agreed, and I, too, doubted that Hawkeyes would be very healthy for us to eat. 


The mind is an interesting place. One thought leads us to another, and the discussion can change in an instant. What we fill our minds with on a daily basis is similar to an interstate filled with ramps to enter and exit as we go. The daily main route is usually from point A to point B, but the ramps we choose often have many deviations. 


The road well traveled is that road where we feel comfortable like Interstate 80 from Chicago to Denver. You can almost put the car on cruise for the entire trip, and you have a good idea of what your surroundings will be and how to cope with them along the way. Few surprises are bound to pop up. You stay in the car except for an occasional food, restroom, or gas stop, but nothing really exciting happens. Often in our daily lives, we can be on that same trip. We find ourselves going through the motions with little thought about how the day progresses. Have we given up the wheel of direction?


A decade or two back, I decided to start taking back the wheel. I realized that what I watch, what I listen to, what I read, what I admire, and what I love can be strengthened when I make better choices. The more I filled my mind with God's word, prayed throughout my day, made better choices, and loved more unconditionally, I was amazed to find that my life and my thought patterns were changing. For example, every time we pick a television show, we are filling our minds with thoughts and ideas.  I started really thinking about what I absorb in my daily life. I made little changes like listening to Christian radio to help me think and dwell more in my relationship with God. As I tried to make better choices in all areas of my life, I could feel I was growing closer to God. 


I'm not saying I don't enjoy some good old rock and roll, or that I don't laugh myself silly at movies that really aren't morally sound on occasion, but what I'm saying is that I began to be more aware of the choices I was making. It's somewhat like a diet. We all know what is good for our bodies, but once in a while that ice cream sundae looks too good to resist, and honestly it's a joy to have one along the way. The point is that the diet keeps one on a healthy track, just as our choices each day keep us on track spiritually.


So, like my grandson, our thoughts tend to travel in all different directions. He hears stories about Cubs, Cardinals, Illini, and Hawkeyes, and comes to a conclusion that isn't of sound reasoning, but it's the way he's absorbed things around him at his tender age. As adults, the more we focus on and choose what we soak in each day, the more sound our perspective becomes as well. We need to take back the wheel on this interstate highway of life, so that we become deeply rooted in and devoted to what means the very most to us in our lives.


Heavenly Father,


Each day we make choices about what we absorb around us. Help us to take back the wheel as you help us steer in Your direction. Remind us that even the little choices we make throughout the day can make a big difference.


Amen.