In 1971, I was driving to Houston from Arlington, Texas. Near Houston on I-45, a major thunderstorm released a downpour of rain that limited vision to the taillights of the car just in front of mine. Eventually, I made it through some of the flooded streets of Houston to the Houston Medical Center. The Center was, and is today, a composite of multiple hospitals and leading medical research and treatment facilities. By its sheer size, a person can easily become lost or at least disoriented.
I was there because my father was to have heart bypass surgery by Dr. Cooley and his staff at one of the hospitals. My sister and mother were already at the correct hospital. I was in the vicinity but unsure of where to go. I entered one of the facilities and asked a volunteer how could I get to the hospital where my father was. She told me to follow one of the colors painted on the floor. She told me which color to follow (of course, I have long since forgotten the specific color). I felt a little bit like Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" following the yellow brick road. But I followed that colored, painted stripe on the floor to the correct hospital. By the way, there were multiple painted stripes on the floor that would have led me to other hospitals. The specific stripe I followed became the guide that I desperately needed to join my family at my father's hospital room.
My guess is that we all have found ourselves in need of a guide at various times within our lives. Perhaps you have used a paper road map, a GPS, another person, road signs, or even a painted stripe on the floor of hospital to be your guide. These types of guides fullfil a specific purpose at a specific time.
However, do you ever give thought to the fact that we all have a need for a guide to direct us through every aspect of life - the decisions we must make; the roads we must take; the relationships we require; and even the thoughts we must consider? One of the books in the Bible in the Old Testament is Proverbs. This is a collection of what biblcal scholars have labeled as Wisdom Literature. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are given understanding of whom we can trust to be our guide in every aspect of life for every moment of our lives.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths."
You and I live in a world that is confusing, troubled, and at times frightening. All around us there are people, belief systems, and schools of thought that advertise and promote themselves as the perfect guide for our lives. We must be alert and discerning of all the false entities that wish to guide and control our lives and our decisions. There is but one that we should put our faith and trust in, and that is the Living, True God who is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all life.
My understanding is not always correct. My likes and dislikes can influence my judgment. I can be influenced by false teachings and false teachers because they sound good. I need a guide to correct my thinking, to keep me on a right path, and to be totally trustworthy as He guides my life. There is only one such guide. Not only is He available to be my guide but also to be the guide for any who will trust in Him.
As I was writing this post, a song that was written by Fanny Crosby in 1875 began to go through my mind. Here are the words to the first verse of "All the Way My Savior Leads Me."
"All the way my Savior leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate'er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well."
It is not a question if we need a guide. All of us do need a guide. My prayer for myself and for each of you this week is that we will trust in the Lord to be our guide in every aspect of our lives. Have a great week as you follow Him.
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