Black Ice

I was talking to a guy that has just moved down here to Texas from New York. "Talk about a culture shock", I said to him, "New York to Texas??" He laughed and told me some of the many ways New York differed from Texas. He said that he missed having street vendors all over down town (which is anywhere in New York, it seems) that had Fantastic hot dogs, pizza's, bagels, you name it, it was good, fast and cheap food. He said all you could get down here, it seemed, from "Roach Coach's" was tacos. I told him there were some food trucks with great food that were popping up all over, but you had to be lucky enough to know where they set up, and I had never tried them, just heard they were really good.
Then the difference in the weather came up. He asked if we ever got snow down here in Texas. I told him, "Texas, yes, Austin very very rarely" He said he wouldn't miss snow. I mentioned that in North Texas they got a few "Ice Storms" during the winter, and that was scarey to drive in, I thought. He said: "Oh yes, Black Ice' I have TRIED to drive in that once, biggest mistake of my life." We started talking about "Black Ice" and how dangerous it is.
Have you ever found some "Black Ice" when you least expected it? First of all let me explain to any of you that do not know what "Black Ice" is. First of all the ground including the highway, of course, gets covered by some sort of precipitation, usually light rain, or sleet or snow. This leaves a thin layer of water on the road, which freezes up and forms a thin layer of ice. The ice that is on the roadway, is very clear and you don't see it, because it is "black" showing the black roadway underneath. Thus it looks just fine, a black highway that is safe to drive on. But "Surprise" it is super slick, and you cannot get traction, because it is ice. Thus the term : "Black Ice".
If you have ever driven on, say I-20 between Dallas and Abilene or even Odessa during January or February in a very cold winter, then, more then likely you have been surprised by this ice. If your not extremely careful, you'll spin out of control and end up in a ditch or worse. The ice is basically invisible, because all we see as we are driving down the road is the asphalt under it.
Satan is trying to make sure we do not get to Heaven, why, because he is not going, and he doesn't want to "not go" by himself. He wants company in the Lake of Fire, so he won't be lonely as he suffers for, well , ever. So, what does he do to try and trick us up? He puts obstacles in front of us to try and make sure we don't obey God. Sometimes, as we are traveling down life's highway, doing good, in a good relationship with our family, our friends, and our God, "Surprise" Black Ice. All of a sudden we feel ourselves spinning out of control, no traction, we start to swerve, moving sideways, the guard rail is coming up fast, and beyond it ? A drop off, straight down for 1000 feet. Why didn't we see the trap? We weren't paying close enough attention.
1 Peter 5:8 (New Living Translation)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Notice what Paul is saying here: "Stay Alert........." Why? because satan is sneaking around looking for ways to "devour" or trick us.
So as we drive down lives highway, we must "Stay Alert" be careful, look closely at the roadway before us. One of the worst causes of accidents annually on American highways? It is distraction, not paying attention to the road in front of you, not concentrating on driving. Now, what do you think is the number one reason people go to hell? Distraction, not having a relationship with God. Not concentrating on what you are doing in your walk with Him. Satan will do whatever he He will place whatever obstacles he needs to to distract you. Sometimes e has to do to keep you from focusing on God, (the road ahead).
Even your own family can be a distraction your young daughter of son in the backseat is screaming, or your kids are fighting, or your wife is telling you she needs to stop at the next bathroom...........and your trying to concentrate on the roadway before you.
This is life, but it can also be our death.
Satan will put "Black Ice" in all it's forms in front of us, and it is up to us,with God's help, to navigate through it without crashing the car.
Be careful,, concentrate on God, He will help us, but only if we are listening to Him. There is a path, that will get us through this mess, but there
are so many distractions trying to keep us from seeing it, or Him.
In life, but not on the highway, we can stop, get out of the car, and let Jesus in behind the wheel. If we allow Him to drive us, where He knows we need to be, then ALL is safe. That is one of the hardest things to do, turn over our lives to Him, and NOT be the one driving. I wish we could do this in this world also, I mean by letting Him take the wheel in our cars when we are nearing a city we have never been in, or it is starting to snow and freeze up, "OK, Jesus, you got it. But sometimes just saying the word: "Jesus" is enough to save us from sure accidents.
Remember, that "Black Ice" is out there, Winter or Summer, doesn't matter, Satan wants to see us mess up. BUT God wants to see us achieve Heaven. Who do yo think will win, but only if WE listen?