Beloved,
Today as I studied Psalm 107, I started thinking about how easy it is to get off course in my walk with the Lord. Whether it is by the hand of the adversary (v. 2), my own wandering (v. 4), my rebellion (v.11), my quests for adventure and prosperity (v. 23-34), or when I am needy and afflicted (v. 41), just straying the tiniest bit can prevent me from treading the straight and narrow road where I need to be.
As I pondered how imperative it is to stay true to the course set before me by the Lord, I thought of an airplane whose pilot sets the course for his destination. To illustrate the point, I asked a friend of mine who is a licensed pilot to do the math on a flight from Los Angeles, California, to Denver, Colorado, with the compass only one degree off of the true heading. On the 849-nautical-mile flight, an error of only one degree would cause the plane’s landing to be 14.15 miles off course. Now you may think that 14 miles is staying pretty close to target, especially after 849 miles, but if a pilot missed the Lincoln Municipal Airport in the city closest to me, his error could land him smack into the side of my house! We live almost exactly 14 nautical miles directly south of that airport! There could be serious and deadly consequences for missing his mark by only one tiny degree.
Staying true to the course set before us as believers means that we must deliberately and diligently follow the Lord~~ through His word, His appointed leadership and His still, small voice~~ on a daily basis. Though it may seem safe to travel in the right general direction spiritually, straying off course with the Lord, even slightly, can have severe consequences. Jesus Himself warned us that “the way is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it.” (Matt 7:14)
Now, I’m not downplaying God’s grace and mercy, or His fatherly attention to guiding discipline and generous lovingkindness. Especially when I wander. He has made me aware today that complacency and distraction can alter my route significantly enough to put me in peril. Unfortunately, it’s in my human nature to downplay the seriousness of being “almost on course.’ I just love verse 30 in this same Psalm 107: “So He guided them to their desired haven.” The haven I desire is with Him, in the shelter of His wings. I am so comforted to know that, “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
“Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!” (Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31)
Passionately serving Christ,
Kathy Hitch, for the Hitch family
1 comment:
Amen!
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