MISDIRECTION

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a helpful tool in most newer cars. It has been available also in portable devices that one could utilize when traveling. There are times when these devices have not been available and one must reply on a map or instinct. However, there are times when that fails and one has gone the wrong way and doesn’t have a clue of his/her location. 

There was a rainy night when this occurred with my wife and me. We were on a road where we had travelled many times before. Only this one rainy night, at a very crucial spot, a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction had high beams on. It temporarily blinded us in terms of where we were and we missed an important turn in the road. Not knowing we had missed the turn, we continued on the road that soon was no longer paved. Very quickly, it became more and more narrow. It was dark and rainy! No lights on the road. On either side of the narrowed road were deep ditches that prevented us from being able to tur  around. Additionally, there was no Mobile Phone Signal that would’ve allowed us to call for assistance. What should we do? What could we do?

In the case of the children of Israel on their journey from Egypt to The Promised Land, they made a deliberate choice to make a bad decision by following the negative input by ten of the twelve spies Moses had sent out to report on the land they were to possess. Despite the best appeal by Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, they decided to follow the misdirection placed before them in the report by ten fearful and apprehensive men.

The context of this chapter is the miracle of the loaves and Jesus feeding hungry people. The disciples were there and had observed the miracle. Afterwards, Jesus tells the disciples to get into the boat and row to the other side. Mark 6:50-52 (NLT) records the experience and incident when the disciples on a dark, windy and rainy night, are in their boat rowing as hard as they can but making no progress toward land or a safe port. Jesus comes walking across the storm-tossed waters and says to them: “Don’t be afraid… Take courage! I am here! Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped…” Their reaction was one of total amazement. Why? “They still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.”

Proverbs 14:12 reminds us that there is a way that seems right to a man and woman existing within a given culture. The choice made about that way is determinative in terms of their destination. Just because a pathway may look alright at the outset is no indicator of where it will take one. This verse concludes, “but in the end it is the way of death.” As though he wishes to underscore this statement, Solomon repeated it in Proverbs 16:25. A Biblical admonition should be emblazoned on the heart, soul and mind of every true follower of Jesus Christ - First Corinthians 16:13 (NIV), “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”  Heeding that admonition will enable one to stay the course and reach God’s destination for you safely. Be confident and assured that God is faithful and will guard and keep you. There is no misdirection with Him.

Back to the experience my wife and I had on a very dark and rainy night. Although we felt very insecure and endangered, we prayed and then reached our decision. We would attempt to back out on that narrow dirt road with deep drainage ditches on either side. Very slowly, with only the backup lights giving illumination, my wife watched on one side and I on the other as we navigated in reverse. Finally, we came to a slight indent on that road. Carefully, I maneuvered the car and with my wife’s words of caution, finally – we were turned around and heading toward the place where I had missed our turn. We gave a sigh of relief and praise to the Lord for His once again guiding, guarding and keeping us safe in His hands and under His control. A lesson we learned that night was that we never wanted to go down that road again.

Since then, we have travelled past that point again and again. Each time, we indicate that we never want to go in that direction anymore. There is a very old Hymn that contains these meaningful words:

Though the road be rough and stormy,
Trackless as the foaming sea,
Thou hast trod this way before me,
And I gladly follow Thee.

Refrain:

I will follow Thee, my Savior,
Thou didst shed Thy blood for me;
And though all men should forsake Thee,
By Thy grace I’ll follow Thee.