I intentionally drove the speed limit (or under) the entire way home from Colorado Springs the other day.  Six hours of obedience to the posted law.  It was not frustrating and I made it home in great time.   I walked away with four lessons:

1.  It is not easy to obey when you do not know why you are obeying.
When the speed limit changed from 75 to 65 I found myself saying, “Maybe they changed it by accident.” or, “There is no difference between this stretch of highway and the one I was just on.” It was as if I knew more than the OSTA (I had to look it up).

2. It is not easy to obey when you do not have to obey.
Funny thing. We see a sign that says 55 and we think, “I can go 60 without getting pulled over.” We do not feel the repercussions of breaking the law “a little” so we stop thinking that “a little” is breaking the law.  We are not forced to obey.

3. It is not easy to obey when nobody else is obeying.
I slowed to 65 and everyone else kept going 75-85. I got some looks. Nobody wants to be behind a rule keeper. Imagine my falling resolve as the general populace zoomed past.

We do not always understand God – that does not mean He is wrong.
We are not forced to follow God – that does not mean there is a lack of urgency.
The majority does not walk with God – that does not mean the majority is correct.

The forth thing I learned: Confidence.
Do you ever tap the brakes and check your speedometer when you see a highway patrol? I do. Maybe it is a guilty conscience, or maybe I am just guilty. But when I set my cruise control for the speed limit, I felt no concern, no guilt. There is something different about the man that chases after righteousness instead of license. The difference is confidence.

I hope you have that confidence. Romans 6:17 talks about mine.

Jesus, help me find confidence in doing what the world will not.  Amen.