We have all heard that life is a journey, not a destination. We sing the songs in church about this earth not being our home, we are only passing through. But if we are on a journey, how do we know if we are headed in the right direction?
Do we just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept our salvation and then just start walking? Shouldn’t there be some sort of map or navigation system for such an important journey, one that lasts a lifetime?
We do have a map, it’s our Bible. We also have general instructions about what the journey will look like. We have warnings about pitfalls to avoid and we are told to stay on the narrow path, not veering to the right or the left. But do we just set our course and take the first steps and that’s it?
I believe the journey of life is a constantly shifting path. We are told when we come to faith that we need to repent of our sin and receive the Lord’s forgiveness. But if we truly repent, that means we are setting a new course. We are now navigating in a completely new direction from the one we followed before we became believers. We need a new navigating system too.
In centuries past, sailors used the sun and the stars to navigate the oceans. They would set out on a well-chosen course, but each day they would have to adjust their course as they encountered shifting winds, waves and storms. They couldn’t just “stay the course” without paying any attention to how the elements were effecting them. They constantly realigned themselves with their destination.
Now, in modern times we have technologies such as the GPS. A Global Positioning System can tell you exactly where you are on the planet. It can give you the coordinates of anywhere on earth. That might sound like a perfect system. How could you possibly get lost? You are never really lost if you can figure out exactly where you are, are you? Well, if you’ve ever taken a trip using a GPS and have made a wrong turn you are familiar with that artificially calm voice saying “recalculating” or something similar, until you get back on course. Even with a GPS you can still get off course. You may know exactly where you are, but is it where you are supposed to be?
God says that we need something more reliable than our own sense of direction. Some of us know that we are sorely lacking in that area! Better to trust the one who knows exactly what our course should be. Better to allow the Lord to adjust our course, to redirect us when we get off the path. We can only benefit from this adjustment if we seek Him and listen to His voice. He will get us back on course. He wants us to finish the journey and when we do, He will be waiting with open arms. Do you need to have your course adjusted today? I know I do.
“For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course” – Proverbs 2:6-9