The Paper – Editorial July 2011
How Do We Get There?
I recently had the opportunity to visit the UK. We had quite a number of places and people to visit so we opted to rent a GPS. This is probably “old hat” to many these days, but for me it was a first experience! Basically by putting in the postal code (they are very finely defined in the UK), and selecting a street, the Navigation instructions commence from where you are (without you even having to know) and gives you turn by turn directions until you reach your destination. It is an unusual feeling “not knowing where you are or where you are going”, but having confidence that you will end up at the right place. In the past I have always used maps, working out the route beforehand, then having to try to transcribe that information into the streets, roads and expressways that confronted us as we travelled along. I must confess that I still did look at the map beforehand to get an overview of where we were heading, but having never travelled the routes before, I had little way of knowing that we were on the right road, and so the constant instructions from the Navigator was not only comforting but essential.
My thoughts turned to our journey through life. There are lots of “maps” around which try to tell us how we should live. However, as Christians we believe there is one essential Directory which of course is the Bible. But like our physical journey to some place new, the Book, like a map, tells us about the destination, and gives guidelines on how to get there, but does not address every detail of our journey – detailed instructions like “take the third exit off the Roundabout”, “in two hundred meters prepare to turn left”, “now take the second street on your right” and so on. However as Christians we believe that we can have this level of detail provided to us as we navigate through life.
We believe that by prayer and submission to what we understand is God’s Will (like setting the parameters of the GPS) He will guide us through every detail of life, ending up at the final destination that we have set. This may well happen through opportunities being opened or closed to us rather than through an audible voice telling us what to select. Isaiah one of the Old Testament Prophets wrote many years ago, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it”, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left”. (Isaiah 30:21). What a comfort to know that there is someone who knows the best route for us in our lives, and that He is just waiting for us to ask Him to navigate for us.
We would like to invite you to attend our Church sometime, or alternatively to attend one of the Churches in your local Community, to talk about how to set the GPS so that you can go through life with an inward peace, inwardly assured where the journey will end. Please see Church Notices for dates and times.
How Do We Get There?
I recently had the opportunity to visit the UK. We had quite a number of places and people to visit so we opted to rent a GPS. This is probably “old hat” to many these days, but for me it was a first experience! Basically by putting in the postal code (they are very finely defined in the UK), and selecting a street, the Navigation instructions commence from where you are (without you even having to know) and gives you turn by turn directions until you reach your destination. It is an unusual feeling “not knowing where you are or where you are going”, but having confidence that you will end up at the right place. In the past I have always used maps, working out the route beforehand, then having to try to transcribe that information into the streets, roads and expressways that confronted us as we travelled along. I must confess that I still did look at the map beforehand to get an overview of where we were heading, but having never travelled the routes before, I had little way of knowing that we were on the right road, and so the constant instructions from the Navigator was not only comforting but essential.
My thoughts turned to our journey through life. There are lots of “maps” around which try to tell us how we should live. However, as Christians we believe there is one essential Directory which of course is the Bible. But like our physical journey to some place new, the Book, like a map, tells us about the destination, and gives guidelines on how to get there, but does not address every detail of our journey – detailed instructions like “take the third exit off the Roundabout”, “in two hundred meters prepare to turn left”, “now take the second street on your right” and so on. However as Christians we believe that we can have this level of detail provided to us as we navigate through life.
We believe that by prayer and submission to what we understand is God’s Will (like setting the parameters of the GPS) He will guide us through every detail of life, ending up at the final destination that we have set. This may well happen through opportunities being opened or closed to us rather than through an audible voice telling us what to select. Isaiah one of the Old Testament Prophets wrote many years ago, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it”, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left”. (Isaiah 30:21). What a comfort to know that there is someone who knows the best route for us in our lives, and that He is just waiting for us to ask Him to navigate for us.
We would like to invite you to attend our Church sometime, or alternatively to attend one of the Churches in your local Community, to talk about how to set the GPS so that you can go through life with an inward peace, inwardly assured where the journey will end. Please see Church Notices for dates and times.
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