Pay Attention To God's Direction

"Today's Devotion" For April 26, 2005

Read: II Peter 3:1-9; Psalm 19

PAY ATTENTION TO GOD'S DIRECTION

"He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (II Pet. 3:9b)

There's an old saying that, "Women are bad at giving directions, and men are bad about asking for directions." The first part may be true of many, I suppose, but I can tell you it's not true for my wife. On the other hand, I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt that the second part is absolutely true, at least ninety-five percent of the time. It's taken me a lot of years to admit sometimes even the maps are wrong and I have to stop and ask directions. Two things have transpired in addition. I'm no longer able to see as well as I'd like, so I can't read the small print on the map without assistance--which is impossible to do while driving (I know, I know, I shouldn't read a map while driving anyhow--O the foolishness of youth!). In the second place, my wife is really good at map reading and getting me where I need to go, so I depend a whole lot on her navigation skills to get to our destination. In short, I really do need a lot of help to get where I want to go.

There was a bus traveling in circles, hopelessly lost for nearly an hour. The passengers repeatedly urged the driver to stop and ask for directions so they could get home. Ignoring their pleas, the driver continued to search for the right road. He just wouldn't admit that he was lost. Finally, after passing a red barn for the third time, one passenger could no longer stand it. "Stop. Look. Listen. You're lost. Admit it. Turn around and check your directions," he blurted. The angry and frustrated driver hit the brakes, made a U-turn and pulled into the nearest service station to ask directions. That's when he found the way home.

How about you and me? Are we headed in the right direction in our lives? No doubt it can be said that there isn't anyone who really wants to admit being lost when it comes to the direction of their lives. Often, however, we are and we require a "kick in the rear" or a "two- by-four 'cross side the head" to get our attention and wake us up to the reality that we're headed the wrong way. God, however, knows better than we do. Throughout the Old Testament He sent the prophets to get His people's attention--often to no avail. That same stubborn refusal to pay attention to God's direction persisted to the days of John the Baptist and Jesus Himself, both of whom came preaching. "Repent (that is turn around)! Recognize that you're spiritually lost. Pay attention to God's direction!"

Seeking God's direction is something necessary for us on a daily basis. In order for our lives to be headed in the right direction, it's necessary for us to be spiritually headed in the right direction. If we want to be headed on the path to eternal life with Christ, we need to keep that path in front of us every day. Sin leads us off in so many wrong directions it's easy to get lost and stop following Jesus' path. Daily contrition (sorrow over our sins) and repentance is essential in our walk with Jesus. Martin Luther advises us that, upon arising every morning, we should make the sign of the Cross to remind us that God has declared us to be His own in Holy Baptism and that we have the power of His Spirit to lead us in the paths of righteousness in our daily living. He further advises us that each night, before we go to sleep, it's a good thing to get on our knees and pray, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner."

It's okay to ask for spiritual direction. Paying attention to God's direction isn't natural for us, but it is essential for life with Him. There isn't one person who doesn't need His direction for living because while the road is straight, but narrow, as Jesus notes for us, our sense of direction is totally distorted by Sin. Only God's Word and Spirit can put us back on the road to eternal life and keep us there. Together may all of God's people be encouraging of each other and, being blessed by God by the sharing of His Word, may we help one another to "pay attention to God's direction."

Prayer: Father, it's my nature to think I can handle my path through life without consulting You for direction. My sinful pride gets in the way of humble faithfulness and I tend to think I've got all the answers. I too often find out I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going until it's too late to avoid painful consequences. Forgive me for being so spiritually "dunderheaded." By the power of Your Word and Spirit lead me to daily seek Your Will and direction for my life. Help me to pay attention to Your direction so that I might be a living example of Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness to those around me. As I live my life guided by Your direction, let Christ's love live in me so that others might see Jesus through me and "turn around and get directions" to eternal life with You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
*****************************

--Pastor Boeck

Copyright © 2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.