By Mark Collins
United Methodist Church
“Where there is no vision, the people perish…” Pr. 29:18 KJV
A business without a vision is not likely to have any growth and an organization without a vision is no more than a social club. A nation without vision will not go far and possibly even cease to exist. This is true and good advice for any company or group but that is not exactly what this verse is about. The rest of this verse says “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
So, in other words, this vision has to do with God’s law. What is God’s law? Some would say the first five books in the Bible. My first thought is the Ten Commandments and of course, we can’t view the commandments without looking to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Mat. 5-7). But for the Church today, I would say it is the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Now the question is how does keeping the law make one happy?
In Psalm 19, King David tells us that the Lord’s commands and judgments are more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. Sometimes we don’t realize the good or the best until we have experienced the bad. Speeding may be fun for the moment but what about after you get a ticket or wreck your car. The speed limit is for our good and others safety. We tell our children they can’t do this or that, or you can’t go there, because we want to protect them from harm. I don’t know about you, but it makes me happy to know the best way upfront, in other words, to experience the good first, without having to learn it the hard way.
That’s what God has done for us through His Word, the Bible. God has revealed to us the best. You see, when we neglect spending time in God’s word we lack the vision and the want to receive His revelation. For those who believe in His word yet become slack in spending time with God, will not only miss out on God’s best but will gradually move away from the ways of our Lord.
When we skip church for a few Sundays we become more content in our own life and less involved with the Body of Christ. We skip a few days reading our Bible and we think we’re doing fine without it. The more we stray the less restraint we have. Without this restraint, we start to drift from God. Drifting can become a dangerous place to be and usually, you will end up with other drifters. Don’t you want to be happy, to have joy and peace in your life?
When we read and study the Bible then put that knowledge into action we are blessed. Not only blessed directly by God but we are able to overcome. Not only to overcome but able to not be conquered in the first place! Don’t settle for less, I encourage you to be your best, by allowing God to show you what is best. Read your Bible daily; attend church, fellowship with other believers. God has a vision for you.
