Chuck Berry: "No Particular Place to Go"

I'm sure guys can empathize with the man in this song. The seatbelt, which he called a safety belt, ruined a perfectly good romantic evening. Click here to hear the song.

The warning in James 4:13 and 14 (Bible in Basic English) applies to us all when we expect things to work out like we planned. "How foolish it is to say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth:' When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone."

Many people who were mentioned in the scriptures made the mistake of boasting about what they'd accomplish. The book of Ester is all about an attempt by Haman to murder all the Jews in the kingdom ruled by Ahasuerus. But every time Haman tried to get rid of Mordecai, who wouldn't bow to him, his efforts backfired.

Esther 7:9 (BBE) tells how Haman's final solution fatally backfired on him. "Then Harbonah, one of the unsexed servants waiting before the king, said, 'See, the pillar fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who said a good word for the king, is still in its place in Haman's house.' Then the king said, 'Put him to death by hanging him on it.'"

Moses supposed his Israelite brethren would understand when he killed an Egyptian taskmaster. As Stephen told his hearers in Acts 7:25 (BBE). "And he was hoping that his brothers would see that God had sent him to be their saviour; but they did not see." So he ran for his life and was in the desert forty years.

Perhaps disobedience ran in Aaron's family. Leviticus 10:1 and 2 (BBE) tells of the tragic deaths of his two sons when they thought to honour the Lord incorrectly. "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their vessels and put fire in them and perfume, burning strange fire before the Lord, which he had not given them orders to do. And fire came out from before the Lord, burning them up and causing their destruction before the Lord."

Mind you, there are also good outcomes, A certain beggar at the temple expected Peter and John might give him a coin or two. Acts 3:6-8 (BBE) reads, "But Peter said, 'I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up on your feet.' And he took him by his right hand, lifting him up; and straight away his feet and the bones of his legs became strong, And, jumping up, he got on to his feet and went into the Temple with them, walking and jumping and giving praise to God."

If Christ doesn't change our plans by arriving on Thursday, I hope to post about how people forget those who are down and out.