Aware

Joel Balin
3 hours ago
3 min read

The roads were remarkably wide open. Even at 5:30 a.m., it was unusually clear. I remember thinking, Where is everybody? I wondered if the Rapture had happened and I had missed it.

So I took advantage… just a little. Maybe slightly over the speed limit. Okay, possibly more than slightly over the speed limit. Maybe even fast enough to disqualify me from the Rapture!

Nevertheless, I was making great time—just cruising along—when everything suddenly changed. A cluster of brake lights appeared up ahead. Cars were bunching together, slowing down—not to a stop, but definitely below the pace we’d all been keeping.

I assumed there was an accident, maybe road work, or a bad merge. So I looked for an opening, some way to weave through the pack and keep moving forward.

That’s when I saw it—a police cruiser. No lights flashing. No siren. No barked orders through the loudspeaker. Just… presence. And that was enough.

Every car on the road responded instantly. No one passed. No one drifted behind. No one jockeyed for position. We just all fell in line and let him set the pace.

It was fascinating. The cruiser didn’t have to do anything but be there. His presence alone shifted how we drove.

Every driver became a model citizen. We all drove with the officer—no one speeding ahead, no one lagging behind. We weren’t trying to push limits anymore—we were just trying to stay close and follow.

Perfect pace. Perfect awareness.

I couldn’t help but think, Wouldn’t it change everything if we lived that aware of the Holy Spirit?

The police cruiser’s presence set the pace. So will God’s presence if we stay aware and:

Stay with the Spirit

Keeping in step with the Holy Spirit is about awareness and obedience. It’s not about speed or performance—it’s about presence.

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25

Don’t Go Without God

Moses wouldn’t move an inch without God’s presence. That’s wisdom we need now more than ever.

“If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:15

Let Him Lead

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just follow us around—He leads. Our job is to follow, not freelance.

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” John 16:13

“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”Romans 8:14

Follow the Cloud

God gave Israel a divine GPS—cloud by day, fire by night. His Spirit still guides today. He is at already at work and moving ahead of us where we go.

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud… and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light…” Exodus 13:21

Pace Yourself

The goal isn’t burnout. The goal is obedience. God sets the pace so we don’t crash. He will give us the grace and energy we need to fulfill only what He has called us to do, not everything we can think of doing.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23:2–3

We don’t need flashing lights or warning signs when we walk in awareness of the Holy Spirit.

His presence is enough to guide us, pace us, and protect us.

Let’s stay close. Let’s stay aware.