By Tommy Rush
Have you ever unintentionally driven down the wrong road or missed a turn only to realize after several miles that you were going in the wrong direction? I sure have! Over the years I have found myself on the wrong road many times. Once on a trip to Indiana, I missed an exit and traveled in the wrong direction for almost 40 miles. I only admitted that I was going in the wrong direction when I saw the sign, “Welcome to Illinois – The Land of Lincoln!” Don’t laugh! It happened a long time before GPS and Mapquest.
Missing your turn on an Interstate is never good. Usually the exits are far apart and U-turns are illegal on major highways. If you do find a place to make a U-Turn the sign is marked with “For Official Use Only.”My father always referred to the U-Turn signs as “Whup Around” signs. He would always say, Don’t miss the road or you will have to go ten miles before you will find a place to “whup around.”
Do you ever feel like your life is heading in the wrong direction? When you find yourself on the wrong road heading in the wrong direction it only makes things worse to refuse admitting it. Sometimes we get stubborn and convince ourselves that we’re on the right road all the way until we end up in Illinois. If you are in a place that you never wanted to be today or you feel as though your life is heading in a direction that God never intended, then I encourage you to stop and turn around. God has a word for this attitude of “I’ve got to turn around and get off this road,” and it’s the word, repentance. It is a word that’s often viewed negatively, but the Bible describes repentance as a blessing that leads to life. One of the most awesome verses describing the blessing of repentance is Acts 3:19. It says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
It’s a wonderful thing to know that God promises grace and mercy to all who not only desire but are willing to turn from sin and turn their heart to Him. And it’s great to know that God always provides a good place to “whup around” for those who truly long for a change of direction.
