Memory Text: "Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him" (Ecclesiastes 8:12).

I found today's section (Sunday) interesting in relation to respecting and obeying the laws of the land in which we live.


Along with Ecclesiastes 8:1-5, Romans 13:1-4, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-17 brings out this same line of thought.

Monday's section is on keeping the King's Commandment.

Should we keep the king's Commandment, or the King's Commandment?

It should be pretty obvious that when there is a conflict, we should obey God rather than men. But what if there is no conflict?

I think the answer to that is also obvious. But do we apply that in our daily lives? For example, do we obey the speed limit all the time? If not, do we only disregard it when God commands us to do so?

We live in rural Iceland and we cross a mountain range on our way to Reykjavik, the capital. On the other side of that range the remnants of two wrecked cars have been placed on a pole by the roadside. A sign tells how many have been killed in road accidents since the beginning of the year, of the population of 300,000. Last year 30 were killed.

Some weeks back as we were passing that sign a couple of motorcycles passed us at what seemed to be twice the speed limit. I grabbed my phone, dialed police and told what we had seen. He wanted to be sure in which direction they had gone, thanked me and hung up, so I'm sure he dispatched a squad to catch them.

I don't know if they caught the sinners this time, but at least I am joyful each time we pass that sign, becaue now for the first two months of the new year not a single person has been killed in traffic in this country.

Most traffic fatalities are caused because someone breaks the law. I must do my part by keeping these laws, and I believe I should also give a notification if I see others clearly braking these laws that life may be saved. Wouldn't you do that too?

Or is it none of my business what others are doing?

Anything, or anyone, that may affect the safety of another should be everybody's business.

Both my foster son and I have driven way above the speed limit. He called the police before he took his wife to the hospital as she felt her child was approaching delivery. The police told him to drive as fast as he could. They would know if someone would report him speeding, and he would not get a ticket.

At one time I drove several times twice the speed limit in town, right through red lights where it was safe, because I waqs hurrying to a person in danger. Afterwards I called the police and confessed.

- You did the right thing, I was told, and glad you could be of help. Nobody will gain a hearing if they accuse you of speeding now since you have notified us.

And my son was stopped by police when he was speeding on his way to an emergency surgery where he had been called to assist as a surgical technologist. As soon as he identified himself the police urged him to hurry on his way.

Tuesday's section is on Trust Amid Uncertainty.

How can a Christian, let alone anybody else, trust God when the world seems to be falling around us?

Also, what kind of trust are we reading and talking about here?

What kind of a foundation do we need to obtain trust? Wealth? Friendship? Faith in Divine intervention?