Seatbelts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front seat occupants who use their seatbelts reduce their risk of death by 45 percent. Yet only 10 to 15 percent of people buckled up before laws were passed in the 1980s requiring them to do so. Seatbelt use in the US rose to 68 percent in 1996, but 32 percent continued to ignore the laws and defy the odds.

These facts call attention to the role of the human will in education. We must believe that what we have been told is so important that we act upon it without hesitation.

Isaiah 30 illustrates the danger of a stubborn will. God had repeatedly assured the people of Judah that if only they would rely on Him, He would be their safety in times of trouble. But they wouldn't listen. Even though God had given them many reasons to put their confidence in Him, the people refused to obey. Therefore, many of them died without receiving His help.

Have you considered this matter of your willingness to believe God? It's not a matter of learning more; you already know He is trustworthy. Put your confidence in God. You'll make the best use of the knowledge you have, and you'll experience the safety you need.  — Mart De Haan