Taking a Wrong Turn
07/06/09 17:44
I was only seventeen
years old; that was my excuse. I was with my
girlfriend and another couple leaving Canton heading
home. I had to be home by eleven o’clock or I
was going to be in trouble. I convinced my girlfriend
that I should drive her car because I knew how to get
home fast. We were to travel north on interstate 77
and bear west on Rt. 224. I missed the turn and we
ended up somewhere near Cleveland! We were lost
momentarily and when we finally reached home it was
somewhere around 1:00 am. Ugh!
Needless to say, I got into trouble and was grounded for the next couple of weekends. I didn’t like being lost. I didn’t like the feeling of not being sure where I was, or where I was going. Road signs meant almost nothing, exits for cities and other routes were “shots in the dark.” I was constantly thinking that maybe this should work, or maybe I should try that. One thing was for sure, I needed to let the people in the car believe that I knew where I was and where I was going. But after an hour of questions like, “Shouldn’t we be there by now?” I finally had to admit that I was lost and I needed some help getting back to Norton, Ohio.
I think, sometimes, that this is what happens to Christians along their journey Home. They take a wrong turn somewhere and it is only later, sometimes much later, before they either realize it, or want to admit it. Oh, they can put up a good front and even look as though they’re not lost, but inside they feel dead. They haven’t felt the Presence of God in weeks, months, possibly years. They may still smile and shake hands at Church, they can still quote a Bible verse or two, but deep inside they know –something is not right. Somewhere, at sometime, they somehow, took a wrong turn. They feel alone in a crowd; they are sad but not sure why; the joy they used to experience is hampered with the proverbial “looking over their shoulder” for the trouble that soon follows it.
So, what’s a Christian to do? What is the course of action one should take when he or she finally realizes, or admits, that they have taken a wrong turn? Well one thing is for sure –don’t keep heading in the direction that you’ve been going! Don’t think that you can find the solution all by yourself.
Oh, sure there have been times that I was lost and I just happened to come upon a road sign that was familiar and I was able to “save face” and the passengers in my car were none the wiser! AHH. But that was taking a wrong turn on asphalt. We’re talking about our souls here; we’re talking about our eternal Home! Abraham, took a wrong turn one time and he landed in Egypt. But when he finally got it together, he went back to the land that God had taken him to before. He went back to the place where he first called upon the Lord.
When someone finds himself or herself in that place, where they thought they never would be, that place of dryness, wilderness, and wandering around looking for that “thing” that will bring the Presence of God into their lives, they need to go back to where they first called upon the Lord. Jesus told the Church of Ephesus that they needed to remember the height from which they had fallen and start doing again the things that they did at first. Sometimes the only solution is to go back to the beginning and start all over.
Find out where you took the wrong turn and head in the opposite direction. I would rather admit that I was wrong and save my soul, than try to save face. God leads us in paths of righteousness for His namesake. He is more than willing to bring us back onto the right road and get us heading back in the right direction. Remember Solomon said that we shouldn’t try to lean on our own understanding, but acknowledge God in all our ways, then, He would direct our paths. There is a path to this journey and there is joy when one is on this journey.
Have a great week!
Pastor Jim
Needless to say, I got into trouble and was grounded for the next couple of weekends. I didn’t like being lost. I didn’t like the feeling of not being sure where I was, or where I was going. Road signs meant almost nothing, exits for cities and other routes were “shots in the dark.” I was constantly thinking that maybe this should work, or maybe I should try that. One thing was for sure, I needed to let the people in the car believe that I knew where I was and where I was going. But after an hour of questions like, “Shouldn’t we be there by now?” I finally had to admit that I was lost and I needed some help getting back to Norton, Ohio.
I think, sometimes, that this is what happens to Christians along their journey Home. They take a wrong turn somewhere and it is only later, sometimes much later, before they either realize it, or want to admit it. Oh, they can put up a good front and even look as though they’re not lost, but inside they feel dead. They haven’t felt the Presence of God in weeks, months, possibly years. They may still smile and shake hands at Church, they can still quote a Bible verse or two, but deep inside they know –something is not right. Somewhere, at sometime, they somehow, took a wrong turn. They feel alone in a crowd; they are sad but not sure why; the joy they used to experience is hampered with the proverbial “looking over their shoulder” for the trouble that soon follows it.
So, what’s a Christian to do? What is the course of action one should take when he or she finally realizes, or admits, that they have taken a wrong turn? Well one thing is for sure –don’t keep heading in the direction that you’ve been going! Don’t think that you can find the solution all by yourself.
Oh, sure there have been times that I was lost and I just happened to come upon a road sign that was familiar and I was able to “save face” and the passengers in my car were none the wiser! AHH. But that was taking a wrong turn on asphalt. We’re talking about our souls here; we’re talking about our eternal Home! Abraham, took a wrong turn one time and he landed in Egypt. But when he finally got it together, he went back to the land that God had taken him to before. He went back to the place where he first called upon the Lord.
When someone finds himself or herself in that place, where they thought they never would be, that place of dryness, wilderness, and wandering around looking for that “thing” that will bring the Presence of God into their lives, they need to go back to where they first called upon the Lord. Jesus told the Church of Ephesus that they needed to remember the height from which they had fallen and start doing again the things that they did at first. Sometimes the only solution is to go back to the beginning and start all over.
Find out where you took the wrong turn and head in the opposite direction. I would rather admit that I was wrong and save my soul, than try to save face. God leads us in paths of righteousness for His namesake. He is more than willing to bring us back onto the right road and get us heading back in the right direction. Remember Solomon said that we shouldn’t try to lean on our own understanding, but acknowledge God in all our ways, then, He would direct our paths. There is a path to this journey and there is joy when one is on this journey.
Have a great week!
Pastor Jim
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