I pulled into the Millington, TN Walmart parking lot and found quickly found a space up front, close to the store. I couldn’t believe my good fortune. It was the space right next to the handicap parking space. I was somewhat disturbed when I returned from doing my shopping, however, to discover that I had a parking ticket on my window. What was my infraction? One of my tires was on the line separating my parking space from the handicap parking space. As a result of not parking straight I had to pay a fine.
There are lines everywhere. There are lines down the middle of the road. Sometimes there are double lines down the middle of the road. There are lines on the football field, on the baseball diamond and on the basketball court. The lines are their for a purpose. They are to show you your limits and to give you direction.
As a youngster I remember getting into an argument with another boy. A line was drawn in the dirt and the dare went out, “You’d better not step over that line if you know what is good for you.â€
Elijah drew a line in the dirt as well. He said, 1 Kings 18:21 . . . How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. KJV
Jesus also drew a line in the dirt. He said, “You have a choice to make. Are you going to serve me or are you going to serve your own desires and worldly ambitions?â€
We today are faced with a choice. Will it be Christ? Or will it be Satan?
By Dr. Gayle Woods
Psalm 119:161-168 (163)
161 Rulers persecute me without cause,
but my heart trembles at your word.
162 I rejoice in your promise
like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood
but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous laws.
165 Great peace have they who love your law,
and nothing can make them stumble.
166 I wait for your salvation, O LORD,
and I follow your commands.
167 I obey your statutes,
for I love them greatly.
168 I obey your precepts and your statutes,
for all my ways are known to you.
Some people don’t like going by the rule book. The Psalmist tried to express his exasperation regarding this when he said, “Princes have persecuted me without a cause.â€Â Today we may shake our head in exasperation when we see someone making a left turn from the right lane of a four lane road.  We are disgusted when we see someone throwing trash from their car onto the side of the road as they drive by. We may be angered during a board game when an opponent keeps coming up with their own “rulesâ€.
A cubit may have meant one thing for Noah and another for his son. If a cubit was the distance from the tip of the finger to the elbow then the length would vary depending on who you talk to last. This is the reason that various countries developed a standard for weight and measurement which over time became accepted globally. People realized that only when everybody followed the same set of rules could a sense of equity be determined.
This fact is one of the main reasons there is so much conflict in the world today. Even though many have agreed to an international standard of weight and measurement for trade, they cannot seem to agree on a standard for moral conduct. God has given us the rule book that must be followed if we hope to be delivered from sin, know the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and have a hope of eternal life.
Dr. Gayle Woods