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In the summer of 2008, 17 year old Asia Leeshawn Ferguson was struck and decapitated by the Batman roller-coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. He was visiting the park with a church group when he lost his hat on the the ride. Ignoring danger signs that were clearly posted, he jumped two six foot fences in order to retrieve his hat. What a horrible consequences for ignoring a warning sign and jumping two fences for a cheap hat. Weekly Devotion
WARNING! DANGER ZONE!
This story is a horrible reminder of the consequences of sin in our live. God's word, like those warning signs and fences at Six Flags, warn us about the dangers of sin. Often Christians, chasing a cheap thrill, ignore God’s warning signs and jump the fences He puts in our way to protect us. Each verse in the Bible we ignore is like jumping over a six foot fence, which we do at our own risk. We find a similar tragedy recorded in the Bible in the book of 2 Samuel chapters 11 & 12. The man was the great King David, who was hand-picked by the Lord to be King of Israel and the author of many of the Psalms.
One day, while chilling out on his roof, he looked down into a courtyard and saw a woman bathing; whom the Bible says was very beautiful. I'm sure the first warning sign pricked his conscious as he lusted after her, because David knew the law of God very well. He then sent someone to find out who she was and discovered that her name was Bathsheba: the wife of one of his soldiers. Ignoring this second “off-limits” warning sign, he used his influence to have her brought to Him and they slept together. Just when David thought he had gotten away with it, he discovered that she was pregnant. Instead of admitting his sin, he jumped the first fence and had her husband Uriah called from battle to go spend time with his wife. Uriah, however, was more loyal to his king than his king was to him. Instead of going to his own house, he slept outside of the gate of the palace, because he refused to enjoy pleasure while his fellow soldiers were at war. Ignoring this final opportunity to man-up to his sin, David jumped the second fence. He commanded Uriah to be placed at the hottest part of the battle; as a result he was indirectly murdered by King David.
Thinking he had finally covered up His sin, David let out a sigh of relief. He married Bathsheba and she delivered the baby. Then, during a meeting with the Prophet Nathan, his sin was exposed and he is informed that his son was going to die as a result of his sin. Just as the Prophet had said, his son died and David was brought to his knees in repentance before God. The sobering reality is both the tragedy involving Asia at Six Flags, and the tragedy with David and Bathsheba could have been avoided if they would have listened to the warnings and stayed safely behind the fences. 
The same is true in our lives as we battle with sin. God provides a great promise for us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 to warn us and provide for us a way to escape it and bear it. It reads, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” We need to read the word of God, which is God’s warning signs, and watch for the fences He puts up to keep us from danger.Prayer:
"Lord, help me to read your word and take heed to you loving warnings. Help me also to be on the look out for the fences you place in my way and give me strength to stay behind them" In Jesus name, amen!
Bibliography:
News Story
1.Fox News Network, “Teen Decapitated by Batman Ride at Georgia Six Flags.” http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,373341,00.html ; Internet accessed on 27, March 2011
Images:
2.http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/27920/thumbs/s-SIX-FLAGS-GEORGIA-BATMAN-RIDE-large.jpg
3.http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SIn9ea2W6HQ/TMenlRJT_2I/AAAAAAAACo8/2x5vXZNAa14/s1600/David
+Sees+Bathsheba.gif
4.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4591109754_05394f4597.jpg
