Time for a little confession. I am horrible at land navigation. However I always seem to pass land navigation. Now let me explain what I mean by the above. Although I know how to read the map, compass, keep pace count etc. When I am on the land navigation course I get lost in myself and the beauty which surrounds me.
As I start a course I plot my points, orient the map and off I go. Instead of keeping my eye on the map; my eyes wonder to my surroundings. This happens most when I have been on the course before. When this happens I go on auto pilot looking for points of reference. Now the problem with this is a tree looks like a tree and a mountain looks like a mountain. When I am off wondering by myself relying on my own recall instead of the map and compass I stumble on my points instead of finding them. More often times than not I have to stop and make a course correction before I truly know where I am and where I am going.
Ok Travis but what does this have to do with spirituality and God? I’m glad you asked. Yesterday I was listening to a pastor, who was talking about the fall of humanity. His text was Genesis chapter 3. If you are not aware of this text this is the scene where we see the serpent (Satan) first tempting Eve. The main goal of Satan in this text is to get the woman drop her compass and her map, which of course is God. God has given the man and the woman a clear course. They can eat from all the trees in the garden except two. Satan tries and eventually convinces the woman; who will later convince Adam that they know better where they are and where they are going than God. The result is sin.
Sin creeps into our lives when we believe we know a better course for our lives than God does. See in the wilderness if I put aside my compass and map and just wonder in the thoughts of my mind I get lost. Now on the land navigation course I have three options. I can choose to aimlessly wonder on my own course until I am completely of course; perhaps wondering onto a weapons range. I can blindly follow the other soldiers and perhaps stumble on a few of my points. Or I can get over myself and consult the proper tools and do a course correction.
Sadly there are times we all begin to wonder aimlessly in the forest of our lives. We take our eyes off God. We make time for other things in our lives but neglect our spiritual life. We get so lost while we think we are on the right path; to only find out when it is to late we have wondered on an artillery range. Adam and Eve sinned because they lost their course; they were on their own path. To correct or course we have to be purposeful and evaluate where we are. So let me ask you how do you start your day? Is it in prayer and scripture reading, or is that forgotten for a run or coffee? How do you spend your free time is with the T.V. and your Bible is dusty? How do you spend your money is all given to your pleasure and needs with nothing given to the poor? Are you on course or in need of a course correction?
