God is always ready to teach us the way that we should go. This is a sad verse for the Israelites because God is telling them that they have not paid attention to His commands and thus they do not end up having peace like a river or well-being like the waves. But this verse is also a warning for us…listen, obey, have peace and well-being. God shows us, tells us, teaches us, directs us. We have the responsibility to listen and obey, to follow what he says.

I’m certain that many of you, if not all, did not always do as your parents instructed you. The consequences that followed were probably less than pleasant. I remember rebelling over and over again and always reaping the consequences, during a time when physical punishment was acceptable. In fact, I was sent outside to get a sturdy stick for my mom to “switch” me with and if I came back with one that was too thin or weak, she sent me back again until I came back with one that would “get the job done.” I bore those marks on my legs for days, the marks that showed my disobedience.

The marks of our disobedience to God are not visible but rather invisible in God’s removing His protection from us and our not receiving the blessings that He has prepared for us. Nevertheless, those marks are there and we know when we have failed to listen and follow as God has directed, just as surely as I knew when I had broken a rule from my mom. God is loving and wants the best of us. As His children, it is up to us to choose to follow His directions and then receive the blessings that He has for us.

May we never take for granted God’s blessings and may each of us look for the lessons He is trying to teach us and learn what we should be learning, moving forward in this life with Him as our guide.