A few years back we were on a family vacation to the river and since I had not been to the place in a few years, I was kind of fuzzy on the details of how to get there. It's was one of those "take two rights and then a left and then one more right, but don't take the one that looks like a path, and then you will see a wooden post broken off on the right...." Sketchy at best, but you cannot keep Daniel Boone from reaching his destination. It may take Daniel two more hours to realize he needs to stop and ask for directions, but sooner or later......he will get there. So we are headed to the river for nonstop fun and swimming and I take the first left and then I take the second right, (or was that the second left?) anyway, we keep moving on and sure enough there is a marker I recognize. Everyone is very relieved to see dad find something that looks familiar. But then it all falls apart. We can hear the river, even smell the river, and imagine our feet in the river. One problem, there is no road available to get to the river. So we back up and notice the old road to the river is now grown up with weeds and it looks like there is no access. I make the bold statement, "I am not going to carry all this stuff 100 yards down an embankment. I am finding a way down there." We all get back in the car and drive about 20 more yards and there it is! Another road to the river! One I had forgotten even existed. So we drove to the campsite, unloaded the car, and spent the rest of the time"enjoying life" on the river. When the path wasn't visible I remember saying again and again, "I know there's a way down there. I 'm just not seeing it!" Sure enough, there was.
Which brings to mind a great lesson about following God and His direction. Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."
We could have gone swimming at the public access if we had not found our river lot, but it would have been crowded and not what we were planning on. We also knew there was a better way to get to the river, but it took some seeking and some faith on our part to believe it was there. Matthew 7 is filled with foundational direction for those who want it. Jesus says earlier in the chapter that those who ask receive, those who seek find, those who knock get an open door. God wants the best for us, but He wants us to be diligent in finding it and directions are vital to getting the prize. In Hebrews 5:14 the writer states that solid food is for the mature, who because of practicing have their senses trained to discern good and evil. In everyday life, we will have to make choices again and again, and the choices we make will directly affect our life's call. That's why when direction is given from God, we follow it and learn from it. Not just for now, but for the days ahead. If we don't remember His directions, we struggle to just make it through life. But if we take them to heart, and write them down in our mind, and follow them, God will lead us down a path that opens up to a whole new way of thinking. And then we will be at the destination He wants, instead of the one we settled for because of a lack of "listening."
There will always be forks in your road and you will need to make daily decisions about what to do in your life. So listen and learn now so you can make the right choice when the road takes a different turn. To me, that is kingdom living that "follows the flow of the Savior's Call." To you it may mean nothing. But don't miss out because of a lack of faith. The river is just around the corner....Read Revelation 22:1-7 This is the river I'm looking for....
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren
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