My wife and I will have been married for 20 years by the end of this month. When we were first engaged, I was living in Rock Hill, SC, and during one of her visits, I insisted on taking her to Myrtle Beach. She loves the ocean.
To fully understand this story, you need to know that 20 years ago we did not have GPS-equipped phones. To go places we would go to mapquest.com and print the directions— then go step-by-step through them to find our destination. That kind of effort would have stifled the feeling I was going for that day, so I decided to wing it. I told her that finding the beach was inevitible if we just kept driving toward the East.
Needless to say, that night at least, they hid the ocean very well. We looked and looked until even the sun abandoned us. We got so close that we could smell the salt in the air and hear the waves crashing, but we never actually found the edge of our blessed country. To this day I don’t how I messed this up!
My wife was extremely patient with me that night, and when we tried again the next day, we found the coast and ate scallops seaside while planning our wedding. If you ask her about it today, she has a good laugh, and hopefully thinks fondly of her dopey husband while she tells all who will listen that having directions is a good idea.
Remember those simple “Following Directions” exercises we used to do in public school? For me they were generally a great reminder to slow down and be deliberate with my thoughts and attention, or I was going to miss some key step to get where I needed to go. The Lord offered up some directions in Matthew 16:24: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
In fact, the Bible reiterates this from beginning to end, but let’s consider just couple more directions for today:
I Peter 1:13-16 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind [be ready!], be sober [be attentive!], and hope to the end [always!] for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance [when you know better, do better!]: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” Christ is our model for everything— His directions must be read and followed.
Ephesians 4:7-16 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
On their own, no man or woman can fully understand what it is we are called to be. Our natural state is depraved— desiring only to please ourselves and loving darkness rather than light. To be Christ-like requires us to deny ourselves and grow in Him—this is supernatural. A way has to be made for us to leave the darkness; we cannot do it on our own. John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 12:44-50 “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”
No man or woman can find our desired destination—the Kingdom of Heaven— on their own. A way has to be made for us to pursue our Heavenly Father; we cannot get there on our own. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Jesus said “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19) and “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead” (Matthew 8:22). He also said “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21).
If you want to find the beach, you’ll need a road map and an understanding of what you are looking for, so you will know when you get there. If you are in pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is no different. You need the Word of God to show you the way and teach you more about your new citizenship. Scripture is the road map for our lives.
Remember step six of our illustration earlier? ‘If you do not understand the directions you have been given, ask a classmate or teacher for help’. You need follow Christians, teachers and pastors. We need others around us to lift us up, breathe encouragement into our painful moments, and to hold us accountable to the testimony we profess to have.
The Lord has given so much for His people to have access to the kingdom. He also sent His Holy Spirit for us that we would be comforted in the time remaining in this world. He confirms truth, brings to mind those things we have studied, guides our prayers, and gives us strength to bear witness to others of all that has been done for us.
Strive to run the race, beloved, and forsake not the gifts that He has provided for us. I Corinthians 9:24-27 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
Hebrews 11:39 - 12:2 “And these [Heroes of Faith from previous verses] all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 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, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
When my wife and I set off to ‘go to the beach’ all those years ago, we had high hopes but were completely unprepared. Finding the beach was not natural to us. So how did we finally find what we were looking for? We didn’t quit. Looking deeper within our own minds, emotions or interests had done no good.We had to observe others who were also pursuing the beach. We had to ask locals who belonged there what the best route would be for us to meet our goal.
A faithful walk with the Lord requires the same steps. Your local New Testament Baptist church is full of believers who have walked the same paths you are currently navigating. Open the road map daily and seek the Lord while He may be found. The Word of God contains all the directions you’ll ever need—all roads point to Jesus.