Drive Safe!

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus.” Hebrews 12:1b-2 (NIV) I went for an eye exam the other day—my first time since 1994. I thought I should make sure that it was okay for me to drive without glasses. I guess it was, ’cuz I passed! It got me to thinking about the conditions and stipulations we have on our driver’s licenses. Ken Antone (of the Antone Indian Family singers) used to laugh about the “No food within reach” condition on his driver’s license, saying “They just know me!” Other conditions I’ve seen include prohibitions about night driving, TV in the driver’s sight line, cell phone usage, seatbelts, medications, etc.—all intended to keep us focused on driving safe. When it comes to our spiritual calling, we need to recognize that there are things that can distract and hinder us in that area also. If we allow them to, they’ll bring us down. Whether it be poor financial decisions, COVID-19 pandemic over-focus, listening to bad advice, discouragement, unresolved grief or sinful choices, there are things that will derail us. “Everything that hinders” can mean something different for each of us, but the end result is the same. If we let it go unchecked, it will drag us down. Hang in there and “drive safe!” – Kene Jackson   Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website. Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org