The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the Lord your God’s commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow them. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them.                     Deuteronomy 28:13-14 HCSB

Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. Don’t turn to the right or to the left, keep your feet away from evil.     Proverbs 4:26-27 HCSB

The word alignment is defined as the arrangement in a straight line, or in correct or appropriate relative positions. It is also defined as a position of agreement or alliance.

I like cars. I find it fascinating that, like the human body, a large number of parts must work together or in agreement for everything to flow smoothly. One simple way to see if your car is out of alignment is to drive on a smooth, straight road and let go of the wheel (for just a couple of seconds). If the car pulls to the left or to the right, it is out of alignment. Being out of alignment can cause extra wear and tear to your tires and can eventually become a nuisance and a danger while driving.

As human beings we were created to be in alignment with God. Our will should align with His will. When this happens things flow smoothly. Even when trials and tribulations come our way, they don’t defeat us they only make us stronger.

But, when we are out of alignment with God, it can cause many problems that will simply go on get worse until we get the alignment issue corrected.

In our first scripture passage, Moses is speaking to the Israelites. They have spent all these years wandering in the desert because they simply can’t get in alignment with God’s will. Oh, they do well for a while and stay on the straight and narrow path, but before long they veer off and go toward those pagan gods and idols that get them into big trouble. Here Moses is trying to explain to them that they will be blessed when they are obedient or stay in alignment with God’s will. But, in Deuteronomy chapter 37, he explains that they will be cursed if they step out of alignment.

The book of Proverbs is known for it’s great wisdom. Here in chapter 4, verses 26-27, the writer warns us to carefully consider the path for our feet. Following God isn’t something we do by chance, it takes concentration and dedication. We just don’t fall onto the right path, we must consciously choose to walk on the right path each and every day. We must make a conscious effort not veer to the right or to the left. We must stay away from evil.

In these end times, it is extremely important that we align our will with God. We get into trouble when we think it can work the other way around. When we align our will with God’s will, we trust in Him. We trust that He will always work things out for our good, even bad things, as along as we love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). We trust that He has good plans for us, even if we must endure some hard times to get there (Jeremiah 29:11).

If you are trusting in yourself or your finances or the government or the economy, you could be in for a huge letdown. But, if you are putting your trust in God, He will never let you down. He will allow you to go through hard times because this is how we grow in our faith (Romans 5:3-5), but He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Keeping straight is important. When a car swerves it alerts the police that someone is driving impaired or distracted. When someone who is walking swerves it indicates the same thing. So, are you keeping it straight? Are you keeping your car straight and in the right lane? Are you walking on the path that God has chosen for you without turning to the left or the right? Are you keeping your feet from evil?

Parents hold their children’s hands crossing through busy intersections to keep them safe. They don’t want them to veer into the path of an oncoming car or a child predator. God does the same for us. Check your alignment today. If you are out of alignment with God, no good will come of this. Align your will with His today. Turn to Him, trust in Him and ask Him to direct your path. You will be so glad you did.

Have a great day!