Daily Wisdom 06-06-2003 On the Road Again

When it comes to directions, I truly do need someone to "show me." I seem to have an uncanny talent for getting lost. You may think we have plenty of support groups, but I'm considering starting a new one. This new group would be exclusively for those of us who suffer from "directional impairment." If you know your east from your west, sorry, but you're not invited. Of course (or should I say, "off course"), those who know left from right are even a little iffy.

However, if you've been known to spend more time in the parking lot searching for your car than you've spent inside the mall, you just might be my kind of member. If you've discovered after several hours of searching that you're not even in the right lot, you're definitely charter member material.

I ran into a friend today who was suffering from a different kind of directional impairment. She was feeling joyless and a little "lost" - as if she had taken off in the wrong direction. I asked her how her time in God's Word was going. She said, "I should've known you were going to ask that - that's it, isn't it!" Then I listened as she preached herself a little sermon, after which she sort of responded to her own invitation. I talked to her a few days later and was thrilled to hear her report she had rediscovered her joy and was back on the right road.

It's tough to stay headed in the direction of the Kingdom when we're fixed on an earthly compass. If we want a joy-filled life packed with purpose, we have to study the map. The Message interprets Psalm 119 this way: "You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You're blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him." And how do we keep our bearings? "By carefully reading the map of your Word."

Staying directionally impaired results in that "lost" feeling - it's a life filled with frustration that ends up nowhere. Psalm 119 continues with a prayer: "Barricade the road that goes Nowhere; grace me with you clear revelation - Guide me down the road of your commandments; I love traveling this freeway!"

Traveling this freeway with map-in-hand sends us down happy trails. Let's determine to keep our noses in the Map and our eyes on the destination. It's the best way to avoid accidentally slipping into another state.

And instead of my directionally impaired support group, I think I'll try for membership in a club that, spiritually-speaking, has a perfect sense of direction - a club with God's Word as the compass. Membership does have its privileges.

If you're interested, there is more information about:
The most important event of all time and
The most important Book of all time.

Contributed by Rhonda Rhearrhea@juno.comRhonda Rhea writes for dozens of great Christian publications and speaks at conferences and events across the country. You can find her new book, Amusing Grace, at your local Christian bookstore. Rhonda's husband, Richie Rhea, is a pastor in Troy, Missouri. You can reach them through her Web site atwww.rhondarhea.net