Warning...Not Shame

1 Corinthians 4:14 "I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children."

      Lord, sometimes we have warning beforehand of some kind of danger or change needed.    We may see a sign that a favorite road we take will be closed, or a notice appears in the Newspaper says a bridge will be out from this date to this date and warns to take a different route.  But sometimes we find ourselves on a long trip with just verbal instructions to somewhere we have never been and realize that we have taken a wrong turn somewhere.  We have no map or GPS to help.  We stop and ask directions and find that there is no alternative route to get where we need to be, so we have to retrace the 50 miles we went on the wrong road to get back to the right one.
      I believe Paul is the one who is giving the Corinthians directions in the second scenario.  He is telling then where they took the wrong turn and where they need to return to as a warning.   They will not arrive where they expect if they refuse to heed his warning.  It is not shameful to make a mistake.  It is shameful if you refuse to follow the directions given to correct the mistake and stubbornly make the same mistake over and over when you know better.
      Precious Lord, keep me ever mindful of Your "Map" and be my GPS if I stray off the straight and narrow road by mistake...and please don't let me get 50 miles down the road before You alert me.
I praise You for being the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful, and all-loving merciful God that You are with Your children.  Thank You for my salvation and all that it means!