by Tom Wacaster
My first local work was
in a small country town in south central Oklahoma. Being new to the
state, and the city, I found myself frequently asking, "How do I get to
so-and-so's place?" One of the members was fond of saying, "You
can't get there from here!" No doubt you have had the same
kind of response from time to time, and you know that someone was simply being
facetious. In fact, you COULD get there from your present location, but
you needed proper directions. In the 70's we relied on a good county or
city map. But today we have all sorts of technological devices that can
provide you with accurate directions that can direct even the novice traveler
to his destination.
Two months ago my wife
bought me a GPS for my birthday. GPS stands for "Global Positioning
System." Plug it into your automobile power jack, punch in the
address of your destination, and press "Go," and in a flash you are
provided step by step instructions on how to "get there from
here." The little box attaches to your window shield, and a little
voice tells you how far it is to your next turn, the direction of your turn,
and when you arrive at you destination. Wow! What a modern age in which
we live!
On one of my recent road
trips I stopped at a station to refuel and grab a snack before returning to my
motel room for the evening. As I stepped out the front door I encountered
a gentleman attempting to give instructions to a woman who was obviously
lost. It was apparent that the man attempting to give her instructions
was as confused as she was, and both of them were quite obviously at their
wit's end. Wanting to assist in some small way, I asked the lady if
she had the physical address of her destination. If so, I had a new GPS
device and could provide her with accurate directions to her destination.
What followed was a lesson in human nature, with some practical application when
it comes to our sojourn through this life toward our eternal abode.
On our way to my car she
stopped and picked up a pencil to take notes. She realized that this
little electronic device would provide precise directions to her destination
and she was not about to take any chances in being misdirected. She wrote
down the directions, checked and double checked her notes, thanked me, and went
on her way. As I drove away I found myself asking, "Why can't people
be as concerned about getting directions to heaven?" From this
simple incident in life I learned some important lessons.
First, if a person is
going to "get there from here," he must realize that he is
lost. This woman was lost, and she knew she was lost. Each one of us
are sojourners traveling to one of two destinations. Spiritually
speaking, the masses of humanity are much like the woman who needed help.
But unlike that woman, they either do not know they are lost, or they do not
care. Their spiritual senses have been dulled by the glittering lights of the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life.
For some, the God of heaven is nothing more than a vague memory of childhood
days when they attended the church where their grandparents were members.
For others God is some kind of talisman in times of danger or distress.
Like so many rabbit's foot charms, God put back in the box once the danger had
passed. These individuals wander through life, squandering every blessing,
unconcerned about their spiritual condition, and ignorant of their need for a
Savior.
Second, there are those
who recognize their spiritual need but, like the woman whom I met outside that
store, they have turned to the wrong source for an answer to the lostness of
their soul. Our modern theologians keep the masses confused and their
minds clouded because, like their parishioners, they have no idea how to get to
heaven themselves. When the blind lead the blind, both will end up in the
ditch. Those in error can never lead those who are lost to that heavenly
shore.
Third, there are
precious souls out there who will, upon exposure to the truth, rush to embrace
its teaching. They will examine every word, jot down every detail, and check
and recheck the instructions provided in God's GPS. Those who
"hunger and thirst after righteousness" will not leave one stone
unturned. Indeed, they, like the Beroeans, will examine the scriptures to
see whether these things are so (Acts 17:11).
Fourth, the sojourner on
his way to heaven will not rely upon his emotions. They are interested in
the facts, not feelings. Like our lost traveler, we will take notes (if
not with pen and paper at least mentally), check and recheck those notes, and
determine to follow precisely, to the letter, each step that God would have us
take to get to heaven. We will not argue with truth, or dismiss the
obvious.
There is one more point
I want to make before I leave this article with you. When I became aware
of the plight this woman was in, it dawned upon me that I had it within my
power to help this woman get to her destination. I was willing to
volunteer and do all within my power to render assistance to this woman.
I wonder, why is it that we don't put forth the same effort when we happen to
meet someone who has become spiritually lost and who is crying out for
help? Could it be that we do not care about the lostness of
humanity? Do we doubt that we have it within our power to properly direct
those who are lost to that heavenly home? You and I hold within our hands
God's "GPS." It is "God's Power unto Salvation," the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. Maybe it's time we renewed our concern for the
lost, and determined that we would step in to render assistance when someone is
obviously looking for help.
Since we are admonished
to "give an answer to every man that asketh a reason for the hope that is
within" (1 Pet. 3:15), let's be about telling the world that, indeed,
"you can get there from here!"