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Early on a warm Saturday, I found myself under the cover of thick trees, trekking through the woods of a state park in New York. This is not the typical place I find myself on a Saturday morning; I am often sitting on a couch reading or studying at the computer. So, how did I end up there? A friend invited me to a three-hour rogaine event. Rogaining is a navigation and orienteering sport where teams use a topographic map and compass to find as many checkpoints as possible within a set time limit. Basically, each participant gets a map with multiple locations marked on it, which are assigned a specific point value. You then set a course to reach as many of these locations before returning to base camp when time runs out. When invited and even taking my initial steps into the woods towards our first location, I thought it was rather intimidating. Nonetheless, I had three resources available to navigate through the woods: a map, a compass, and a friend. Interestingly, we too have three similar resources available to help us navigate our lives.
The map available to us is the Bible, God's Word. The Bible is filled with narrative, law, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, gospels, and letters that tell us about God and humanity, specifically their relationship. This enables us to understand the world around us, the people we are, and God's desire for us. Reading and applying God's Word helps us navigate through life, as Psalm 119:105 states, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (ESV). God's Word, the Bible, shows the right path, reveals what to avoid, and illuminates the way.
Not only is there a map to help navigate through life, but the second resource available is a compass; this is the Holy Spirit. John 16:13a reveals, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth." Here Jesus tells His followers that the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth, will guide them into all truth. As we navigate life, we encounter all sorts of lies, falsehoods, and deceptions. We desperately need to be led and pointed to the truth, to follow it. When we are unaware or unsure of where to go or how to proceed in our life, the Holy Spirit guides us in the truth to navigate whatever is happening.
So, we have a map, a compass, and the third available resource for navigating life is a friend. This friend is Jesus, who loves and cares for us unconditionally. In Matthew 28:20b, Jesus says, "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." We do not have to go through life alone, as Jesus declares that He is always with us. If we are unstable or struggling, He is there beside us, helping us; we can trust and rely on Him. Jesus never leaves or forsakes us; other friends may, but He never will!
Finally arriving at our first location in the rogaine, I realized that I would probably survive because of the available resources: a map, compass, and friend. Despite not knowing everything, I had all that was needed to navigate the day's event. Although we do not know our eventual locations in life or what events we will experience, we can navigate through each one. So, let us use what is available to us: the map of the Bible, the compass of the Holy Spirit, and the friend of Jesus.
Rev. Dr. Luke E. Shover, ABWE Prefield Missionary to Durban, South Africa