Maps are useful tools that can help us understand the importance of geography in shaping human history, they can help us to make travel and vacation plans, or even help us find our way in unfamiliar places. We have access to maps on our smartphones, on our computers, or we can buy a map or book of maps at our favorite gas station. Mankind has gone so far that many of us have navigation devices that allow us to program our destination and it will give us step by step directions until we arrive. Maps come in all shapes and sizes, contain a range of details, but the basic purpose remains the same – to provide information on the area we are travelling though. Maps can also show us where we have been and can even remind us of the obstacles we have overcome.
For Christians, we have such a map that not only shows us where we were before we accepted Christ as our Savior, but it also provides us direction in our everyday activities and even tells us about our final destination. David, the author of the psalms, wrote Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11). While none of us seek to start the day by planning to sin and yield to our temptations, we can easily slip at any moment. The apostle Paul also wrote about this very thing: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1). These two verses together illustrate that as Christians, we must be willing to allow God not only to guide our paths, but we must yield to his instruction and direction.
The older I have grown and the closer I have come to the Lord, I have come to realize that if there was ever a piece of information I could pass on to a new believer in the Lord Jesus Christ that could help them in their journey, it would be to read the Bible and pray daily, and seek the wisdom and guidance of God. Many Christians have squandered gifts, blessings, and opportunities because they were not familiar with the journey nor were they familiar with the pitfalls that they would encounter. Solomon wrote Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil (Proverbs 4:25-27). Too many times in life we take our eyes off our path, we become fixated on what someone else is doing, what someone else has, or maybe we think their pathway is easier than ours. It is at those moments we lose sight of what is important, it is at those times we choose to yield to temptation and fall into sin. God’s warning to Cain should resonate with us all: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door… (Genesis 4:7a).
The apostle Paul wrote a lot on discipleship and instruction to Christians of any age. In a letter to the church at Thessaloniki, Paul urged Christians to adopt as second nature some things that can improve and maintain our walk with Christ if we will do them on a continuing basis: Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:14-22). Imagine if every Christian would adopt these things that Paul wrote – warn the lost, provide comfort and assistance to those who are mentally disabled or have physical illnesses or injury, have patience with each other, rejoice in what God has done, pray for everything – all these are things that we can do that God will find acceptable in our lives and we can do each of these every day!
