While attending a leadership course some thirty-years ago, one of the most feared blocks of instruction was, “land navigation.” We would go through hours of lengthy study of maps, identifying varying terrain features, and understanding the nuances of manually measuring distance based on the need to travers from one grid coordinate (point on a map) to another. As lengthy as the classroom block of instruction was, it did not prepare us for the real thing. I considered myself knowledgeable as I spent time helping classmates plot four (4) or five (5) points to receive, what is referred to as a “go”. They were off into the woods. I took my time plotting mine as well being careful on that rainy day to avoid my map getting wet and washing away my detailed efforts. Wala! I had my rope of beads to aid in tracking my pace count, I was as often said “good-to-go” or abbreviated G2G. I leapt into the woods, opened my compass and my heart sunk immediately, it was broken, no matter what direction I turned, north, south, east, or west, the compass remained stuck to the top of the glass. It was a three-hour exercise, I spent the first screaming, yelling, running, and tumbling down a hillside completely covered in wet leaves. I had the equipment (map, compass, destination), but I was still lost. Much like our lives with Christ, we can have everything and still find ourselves off course. For all intents and purposes “lost,” even while helping others.
Today’s podcast is titled.
Broken Compass
Humanity has traversed the globe migrating from one place to another, for thousands of years, and while many were deemed a success, others failed miserably. Differing from the use of modern technology such as global positioning, the tools of choice have always been a map and a compass. Understanding how to use them in unison allows the traveler to safely reach their appointed destination. In the hands of a novice, however; for every mile traveled, even if off by just one degree, you are likely to miss by hundreds, if not thousands of miles. Is your compass broken?
Our journey with Christ is the same, that amid the tumultuous storm, when the seas are tossed and our view is obscured, when we have become lost, our journey requires someone steady at the helm (Jesus), someone that is familiar with us, and where it is we are going. Without such we would always arrive where we are not supposed to be, the darkest of places where we are powerless to hear or see God, upon which our soul would surely be lost, without any hope of redemption.
