When I pass a church, I like to look at their sign, to see if there’s a message for me. Most churches, sadly, don’t feature the week’s sermon topic out front anymore, but if it’s out there, I’m slowing down. “Do Not Test God,” was the message for me on Thursday, at the Summerland Presbyterian Church, a few miles from my house.

Now it falls to me to look at what’s going on in my life — in my real life, not my mind — at this moment. Am I testing God? The first layer of truth I peel back has two sides:

I don’t know how it is with my life right now. I’m too busy thinking to call what I’m doing really living.

I’m always testing God. Always, I’m leaning into the wind instead of sailing with it. And saying to myself, “I can push this just a little farther, put off doing the next right thing just a little longer, and God won’t make me live with my consequences.”

For example, it’s 12:15AM. I have an appointment with my personal trainer for a workout at 7:00AM. I have to get up at 6:00ish to make that. And tomorrow night is the annual reunion of my high school band. It lasts most of the afternoon and through the evening. I should be asleep. I’m a middle-aged guy now. If I don’t quit blogging and rest, tomorrow night I’m going to feel like sh