When was the last time you stopped and asked for directions?  Maybe you searched for the desired destination on your Global Positioning System.  Perhaps you called someone on the phone to find out which way you should go.  It probably didn’t matter where you obtained the information, just so long as you made it to your destination safely and on time.  In life, there are many places we must go and appointments we must keep, but the most important directions we will ever read are the ones in God’s Word.  This Book is a roadmap, not for the highways and byways on which we drive our automobiles, but a map for life itself.  It tells us where to turn, where to stop, and where we should be at all times.  If you find that you are lost on your journey through life, Jesus Christ can help you find a new sense of direction.

Today, the dog that took up residence on our doorstep this week seemed to get a sense of direction.  He started walking toward our hay barn on the hill and disappeared out of sight.  All of the sudden, it just seemed as if something clicked in its head, and he knew which way to go to get home.  No, he didn’t have the ability to search for his owner’s house on Google Maps.  But God knew which direction he should go, and I am sure that God guided him all the way home.  Now, he is no longer sitting on our doorstep, looking like the misplaced canine he once was.  Even though he didn’t have a written map with him, he seemed to know exactly where he was going.  Unfortunately, finding the right direction is not always so easy, especially for people.

Sometimes, there are directions in life that have nothing to do with driving a car down the road.  These types of directions cannot be found on the Internet or any other electronic gadget for that matter.  You see, life is not equipped with a GPS unit that will continuously tell us to “turn left” or “turn right.”  Some decisions will be extremely difficult.  Some journeys will be nearly impossible.  Some roads will be treacherous.  Yet, you can take comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ will be with you every step of the way.  And with Jesus by your side, you will always know which direction to turn.

Perhaps you have made a wrong turn in your life and do not know how to cope.  You may have left your family, seeking a better life or a more fulfilling existence, only to find that single life is not what you truly desired.  It may be that the absence of the love of your family is nearly more than you can bear.  Or you might have entered a life of drugs and alcohol, just to realize that these things only provide a temporary reprieve from the difficulties you are facing.  You may have decided that these things are not the ultimate answer, but you do not know how to get back on the straight and narrow.  Or you could be someone who was raised as a Christian all of your life, but have recently found yourself straying away from Jesus Christ.  Now, you may be trying to find your way back home to the safety of His arms, but you’re so far away, you do not know how to get there from where you are now.

Jesus Christ has not forgotten you.  He cares for you.  He wants you to come home.  There is no spot on this earth that is out of the reach of our Heavenly Father.  He knows where you are.  He knows everything you have done, every turn you have made, every road you have taken.  Even if you made poor choices, He loves you unconditionally.  He wants to guide you and direct you, and He wants to help you make it home.  The Bible says, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6 KJV).  He doesn’t want you to stay lost, wasting your life in all of the wrong places.  He will give you directions, leading you to the right places.

If you are struggling with some particular aspect of your life, don’t sit on someone else’s porch, simply because you cannot find your way home again.  Ask God to help you.  Ask Him for His guidance.  Ask Him for a new sense of direction.  He will show you how to get home.  God’s Word says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him” (Psalm 37:5 ESV).  Trust Him today.  If you are going the wrong way, God allows U-turns.  He loves you more than you could ever imagine.  Open up your heart, listen to His voice, and allow Him to guide you to the life you have always dreamed of living.  Don’t wander around aimlessly.  Look to God for a new sense of direction.  He will bring you to a place of peace, joy, and hope.  Best of all, he will bring you home.

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer