Read the Map

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
Titus 2:12-14 NLT

Let's say I am heading west when I finally realize that the destination I desire is actually east. However, this road I'm on, heading west, is a wide road and has no tolls and I can travel at 75 miles an hour. No hindrances. No roadwork. No detours. No problem...smooth sailing, except I'm going in the wrong direction. Oh, it has lots of exits - opportunities to turn around - but if all I do is exit and fill up and get right back on the same road, I'm not going to make my desired destination. I can say where I want to go and actually make up my mind to go there, but unless I turn around and head in the right direction, I'm not ever going to arrive.

The same is true on our Christian journey. We all want to make it to Heaven, but we don't all want to take the road that gets us there. We're told to repent, but we don't want to make the U-turn. In order to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, we cannot keep going in the same direction.

What keeps us from turning around? Is it that the road heading east is a narrow road? Is it because there's a price to pay? Is it because at times we're going to have to be still instead of being able to keep moving? Or is it because there are only rest areas instead of exits with all the goodies that go with the exits?

To turn from godless living and sinful pleasures, we cannot keep going in the same direction. Have you read the map?

Prayer:

Father,
             Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Go before us and make the crooked way straight, Father, as You have promised. Make the path plain so we can find our way to You. Keep us between the lines, O God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Treasure Hunting

This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding. For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3 The Living Bible

Did you ever hunt treasure when you were a child? What a great adventure! Quartz that sparkled like diamonds; iron pyrite that you just knew was real gold. And the wealth of it was going to solve all your problems. How sad you might have been to discover that while pretty to look at and sparkly to behold, your young dreams were dashed by the reality of imitation minerals and stones.

What treasures do you seek now? Things that sparkle and shine? Where are you digging for the buried treasure? Is your map reliable?

If we will seek the treasures that are eternal, we have the perfect map - Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Verse 3 of our text for today tells it perfectly, For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself. In Him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Let's not settle for shiny imitations. Let us seek our True Treasure - the One whose light will always shine true for us.

Prayer:

Father,
            Thank You for providing everything we need for the grandest adventure of all. Help us to walk firmly in the paths You have laid out for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen