Sherry and I had just been married and were doing a driving tour from Kansas to Colorado for our honeymoon. We knew the basic route to get us to the ranch where we would stay. Along the way, a “scenic drive” sign caught our attention and I impulsively pulled on to it.
Sherry (who prefers to have good directions for travel) let her new hubby go for it, and we came to something I had never seen before or since. As we drove up, up, up, the road narrowed to a 10-foot wide band of mountain with a dizzying plummet of hundreds of feet on either side.
We carefully drove along until the worst possible thing happened—we met a car coming from the other direction. Now, I hadn’t done a lot of “backing up” before that time, but I put my arm over Sherry’s seat, turned around, and VERY SLOWLY reversed to where the road had been wide enough to let the other car go by. This seemed to take a few days. When I glanced over at my new bride, she looked quite a bit paler and much more committed to prayer than an hour before. We did make it back to safe, flat, earth. I learned it’s best to have proper direction in life’s travels.
Father Knows Best
I’m tired, at my age, of making mistakes because I don’t get the direction that I need. Why not just get the help that Jesus Christ offers? He said he would send another helper, the gift of the holy spirit. No man can direct his own way successfully without God’s help.
Jeremiah 10:23:
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
I don’t know everywhere that I need to go. But God does. He’s my Father and is all-wise. Even if I want to do something, I’ve learned to make sure it’s OK with Daddy. The Bible has plenty of direction, if we have the humility to listen to it.
Psalms 119:5:
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
Proverbs 16:9:
A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
Direction from the Head
God sent His Son to save us and give us spiritual life. Christ lives in us today, and we are a part of his body. He is our head, and gives us direct access to the Father. We have only one God Who is our Father. And we have only one lord, Jesus Christ. And that is where we get our proper direction.
Romans 8:1,2,9,10:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
We have the spirit of Christ and that gives us life and righteousness. We can obey the “law” of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. That is the opposite of trying to do everything ourselves. The direction we seek determines the destination that we reach.
Dumber Than Brute Beasts
We can either harden our hearts to spiritual wisdom and try to make our own ways safe with material things, or trust in the Lord with all our heart.
Proverbs 21:29-31:
A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord.
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.
Proverbs 3:5,6:
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
It is sad when people become more foolish and stubborn than brute farm animals. Today, many people do not believe that God exists, let alone that He can be their Father. But this is nothing new.
Isaiah 1:2,3:
Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Led by the Spirit
When Jesus was baptized by John, he received the holy spirit. He was anointed with holy spirit and power, and went about doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the Devil (Acts 10:38). And he got his direction from the Father.
Matthew 4:1:
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Luke 4:1:
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Every born-again Christian is filled with holy spirit. Our lord showed us how to be led by the spirit, and stand against the Devil. God dwells in us, and the spirit of His Son gives us life and direction. We are not under man-made laws, but can get direction from the Father of lights.
Romans 8:11,14:
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Galatians 5:18:
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
We have all the spiritual supply that we need in Christ. We are complete in him (Colossians 2:10).
Philippians 1:19:
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Good Direction
Psalm 73 shows the Messiah’s great humility. Jesus Christ always does His Father’s will. And we want to be like him!
Psalms 73:22-26,28:
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Let us “draw near” to God by listening to His still, small voice within. Let’s get our direction from the spirit of Christ within. When we really make Jesus Christ lord, we will be doing the Father’s will. And our destinations will be safe and blessed.
