Saturday, March 12, 2011

NOT SALLY, A ROAD MAP

A few weeks ago I made a trip to south Texas. I wanted Sally to go with me. But I could not find her. I looked high and low, but she was no where to be found. Marie said, "you will just have to go without her." "But I really need her on this trip," I protested. Alas I left by myself and returned the same way. I found Sally after I returned. By the way, if you have not figured it out yet, "Sally," is what I call my GPS unit.

You say, "so what? What is all this leading up to?" Just hang on to your bloomers. There is a lesson to be learned and a point to make.


What I did take with me was the direction of my destination. I had the name of my destination. I had a friend that had prepared a place for me to lodge when I got there. I did not know how long it would take me. I did not know the number of times I would take unnecessary detours. But I did have a very important book. It was an atlas. It was an atlas of the United States, because an atlas of Europe or Asia would never get me to my intended destination.

I noticed on my journey that sometimes the road was smooth and at times it was bumpy. I noticed others parked along side the road side, perhaps having some kind of trouble. I would often stop and consult the atlas, and it never let me down. There were times I felt surely the atlas was wrong, because it seemed to me (my feelings told me) I was going the wrong way. But I kept doing what "the book" showed me to do. Though it was against my masculine nature, I even stopped a few times and inquired as to directions. Some folks were traveling faster than I, and some were traveling slower. And it seemed to me that many more were going in the opposite direction from the way I was traveling. I got tired at times, and had to stop and rest. I had to take nourishment to keep going.


But I finally arrived in a place I had never been before. The room was reserved, and the accommodations were better than I could have hoped. My host took me out for supper that evening, and I went back to my "little mansion" and had a peaceful night.


As believers we are on the road to heaven. We do not have an instrument that speaks literally of every turn we need to make. We are not told how long the journey will take. We are assured we will get there.



Not every one is going in the same direction, and the truth is, there are more going the other way. Sometimes the road is smooth and sometimes it is rough. There are hazards, and detours, some put there by the Lord, and some of our on making. Sometimes it seems were are not making any progress, and at other times it seems we are traveling faster than we really want to. It is helpful to have those we love and trust give us encouragement and counsel as we journey down this road... a dear brother or sister in Christ, a Pastor, our parents or grandparents. Most important of all we have an eternal atlas, The Book, The Word of God.



Paul told Timothy in his first letter to him, that the Scripture was inspirted by God and was benificial for what we are to believe, what not to believe, how to not behave and how to behave as we travel the road to heaven (see 1 Tim 3:16)


In that car I was aware of an invisible presence keeping me safe and on the right track. You and I as believers have the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, to encourage us and to instruct us as we travel.



See John 16:13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come.14 The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what I have to say and tell it to you.


And when we get to our destination, there will be a place reserved for us by our Friend, whose name is Jesus. Unlike the earthly room I enjoyed here, the fee has already been paid. Jesus will take us out to Supper, not a fast food place, which is adequate here, but there it will be the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.


When I go back to Texas I would still like to take "Sally," but on my way to my mansion in heaven, there are no substitutes for The Word of God, The presence of the Holy Spirit, and the encouragement of Gods people.


THOT: WHICH ROAD ARE YOU TRAVELING? WHAT IS YOUR ROAD MAP, AND WHO IS YOUR GUIDE? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one gets to the Father except through me."