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PRELUDE
When's the last time you drove down the roads in your area? Do you remember those road signs conveniently fixed for your information and protection?
Whether these signs are for our information or warning, each sign is designed to move us safely down the road.
Here's a little humor. We recently visited a local fast food establishment, where I told the wife they must have known this slow-footed senior citizen was coming in for they put out a warning sign for my protection at the drive-thru window lane, which read "Slow Pedestrian Crossing."
Unlike the above amusing comment, whether you are speeding down the freeway or taking a leisure walk in the park, oftentimes signs may be missing, unintentionally misleading according to one's feelings, beliefs, daydreaming mood, or simply misread.
However, God's Holy Scripture is precise in its instructions to mankind. It is for our teaching, for our reproof, for our conviction, and for our training in righteousness so that we may be adequately equipped. (II Timothy 3:16)
Nonetheless, God, in the divine providence of His Holy Scriptures has placed certain signs to guide us, protect us, and teach us, as we move along life's uncertain highway.
I trust and pray that you will enjoy reading about our fictional character's misguided adventure, as much as I did writing it. Hopefully, it should help you as you move past this unsure world's many signs. Thus, this blog is entitled "The Pathway To Nowhere."
(Please click on the many highlighted Scripture references as you read through the blog.) May God Bless!
"Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.’" (Joshua 3:5)
How this mysterious adventure all came about, I can't rightly say. Was it a dream? Was it a vision? (Joel 2:28) (Acts 2:17) Why me? I ask. I'm not one to experience the likes of what I encountered. It all seemed so real. Maybe it was a reality check of the clear truth of my life's situation or feelings. Nonetheless, here's an account of my reality trance, here we go.
I found myself walking for what seemed an eternity up and down one slight hill after another. Then, as I rounded a slight curve, there he was sitting on a large rock by the side of a large drop-off.
Quite a man for sure. He had a certain mystic air about him. His golden hair and beard seemed to match the sunlight peeking through the trees. He was all decked out in the garb of a professional hiker, with compass, flashlight, rope and water bottle attached to his wide Sam Brown belt. He also was adorned with a rather large backpack.
There was a rock by his side on which he motioned for me to sit, which I did. The conversation commenced and what an interesting dialog it was!
"You've been hiking long?" he asked.
"Yes, for several miles, up and down this mountain trail," I replied.
"Ok, if you are ready to move on, I'll join you," he said.
So away we went. Up and down, around and about, again on this mountain wilderness trail we made our way.
We walked along silently awhile, enjoying the warm summer sun. Then, the first road sign became visible - Five Miles To Nowhere.
"What's the meaning of this?" I wondered.
As we continued, this professional hiker answered, "It's kind of like a road puzzle, like going down a pathway to nowhere, I guess."
Again in a few miles, another sign - Three Miles To Nowhere.
Again he made the same comment as before. "It's like going down a pathway to nowhere, I guess."
And yet again, another sign - Two Miles To Nowhere.
"OK, I've had enough of this. Are we wasting our time?" I complained. "Have you been down this trail before?"
But he made no answer so we kept moving along. After walking for some time and going through an old dimly-lit tunnel, we came to the end of the line, the end of our hike. There was a yet another unexplained sign which read - Welcome To Nowhere.
"What on earth is this?" I thought.
With no answer forthcoming we sat down on a big rock to rest.
All of a sudden, as if having read my mind, this strange hiker seemed to get down to business. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a Bible, and started a meaningful pronouncement.
"The same old thinking will get the same old results, as well as new thinking will get you new results. We may have traveled the path God wanted us to reach, a path of quiet peace and unrenowned devotion. Oftentimes He does expect us to get out our spiritual map, and learn the way. Learning to walk the road will help us arrive at a certain spiritual destination. That is, if we are ready to travel the road of victory. In this case, being temporally in nowhere may be that one spiritual destination, the silent devotion one may need and require."
"Like my well-equipped hiker belt, we all have a spiritual belt equipped with prayer, Bible devotion and confession. And the question, are we using these excellent spiritual tools? Or are we missing out on God's blessings and promises?"
'Like the road signs pointing us to nowhere, oftentimes, we are not ready to go it on our own, to be willing to use the spiritual tools God has given us and to strike off into the unknown."
He followed up his comments with Scripture. “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:4)
Without further delay, the hiker motioned for me to look and read the back side of the welcome sign.
I did, and much to my surprise there in plain sight was a crudely scratched Scripture verse. "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:115)
"OK, my son, get out your heavenly spiritual flashlight, your Bible, and light up your return path home," he instructed.
Well, what did I do next? I sat there awhile pondering this nice hiker's well-placed words. I still had no idea what they were really all about. And yet, his words made me want to thank him for his guidance and made me think back to my early childhood religious upbringing and that kind old Sunday School teacher.
"Well, Mr. Hiker, are you really a angel in disguise or maybe even a preacher on vacation?" I asked. "Mr. Hiker, Mr. Hiker, where did you go? I still want to talk with you, to thank you for your kind spiritual advice and counsel. Maybe I'll even invite you back to my home for a spell. Oh well!"
Was this a well-placed vision or a dream? (Joel 2:28) (Acts 2:17) Regardless, it surely hit home with me. I woke from whatever it was spiritually recharged. Not only my social mindset and attitude, but my spiritual attitude as well had taken a positive about-face. Where's Mom's old family Bible? I'll surely dust it off.
And by the way, just who was that strange mountain hiker? Never mind, I've a good idea who he was.
"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2)
POSTLUDE
Is our society likened to our blog character? Are we seemingly going To Nowhere from Somewhere? Unlike the surprise of our blog character's discovery, our society may not be interested in a turn-around. I trust and pray we are.
We need only to read the local newspaper, tune in the national TV media, surface the Internet, talk to our next door neighbor, or even listen in some churches, to realize we now indeed live in a chaotic world. The end times, as we now know ours to be, may just be near. (II Timothy 3:1-9,13) (II Timothy 4:3-4)
Some of our populace don't necessarily agree with these Biblical predictions. (II Peter 3:3-4) However, for us Christians, our future is secure.
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)
I realize our Lord cautioned us not to set dates. No one except our heavenly Father knows prophecy's exact timeline. (Matthew 24:36) We also know, however, that even Jesus' disciples were asking when the end would come. (Matthew 24:3) But He did caution us to follow the signs that are well marked (Please read Matthew Chapter Twenty-Four) So, are you ready?
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