April 30, the right direction

I was recently kayaking with a friend.  We had been out for over three hours and were returning back to our point of origin across Broad Bay (a beautiful and scenic inlet of Virginia Beach).  My friend was much more familiar with our location and noticed that my trajectory across the water was off.  So, he pointed to a boat house on the horizon with a red roof and simply said, “paddle toward that red roof.”  I did, and the trajectory brought us in direct correlation to where we began.  Safely returned.  Tired but safe, nonetheless.  

The simplicity of knowing the right direction can often be undervalued in a culture of free thought and relative truth.  But there exist nothing more dangerous than heading in the wrong direction, and nothing more fulfilling than knowing you are on the correct course.  

Today, what guarantees that you are on course? To what do you look on the horizon of your life’s journey that guarantees you are moving in the best direction?  

Let’s begin with a simple but powerful truth:  God has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).  So, the one absolute upon which one can stake his or her life’s journey is God.  Trust Him today.

Also, the Bible reminds us that God Himself directs our steps (Proverbs 16:9).  God offers His sovereign presence in our lives.  Why would we not depend upon His trajectory for our every step?  Strive to live in harmony with God’s Word.

In Isaiah 30:21, the prophet announced an amazing reality of God’s promised presence:  “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’.”  As Israel’s history has proven, so we too can often leave God’s designed path.  But He speaks to us and directs us back to His way.  We must listen.  

So, what represents the only absolute concerning guidance and direction? The answer is, “God’s voice.”  We must learn to quieten our hearts to hear Him speak.  His Words are the “red roof” toward which we relentlessly paddle.  

I hope to paddle the waters of Broad Bay again soon.  And the next time I do, I will know the right trajectory, and will enjoy the journey forward instead of worrying about which way to go.

Blessings.