Can You Find Your Way Out?

Last fall Marissa and I took the kids to a pumpkin patch in Ramona. It was a large farm, and along with a selection of pumpkins, there were goats, pigs and horses the kids could pet. They had this really cool corn canon that they would load up with an ear of corn. After you took aim and pulled the trigger a blast of compressed air shot the ear of corn about 50 yards into the air. The boys found this to be a blast as well!

One of the most popular activites there was a huge corn maze which is layed out over about two acres of land. I took the kids into the maze and we had a great time navigating around trying to find our way out. Several times in the maze we were faced with decisions on which way to turn. The wrong choice was met with a dead end, and we’d have to backtrack to find the correct path.

Halfway into the maze there was a set of stairs leading up to a platform that was about 10 feet tall. Standing on the platform I could survey the entire maze and easily see which paths led to the exit. With that vantage point of looking down upon the maze and seeing the entire picture, it was no longer confusing and the pathways became clear. With that new perspective, I could guide my children out of the maze.

When we only see just a few feet ahead of us, we have no idea what lies ahead. We are forced to guess which path to take. Our Heavenly Father has our lives layed out before Him. He has the perfect view from above and all we need to do is to turn to Him and He will lead us through our worldly maze, bringing us safely out into His arms to receive our eternal reward.

When we try to navigate our journey on our own, it’s like hiking without a compass. We only see what lies directly in front of us. We’re short-sighted. We will always follow the well-worn path based on the logic that if everyone else used it, it must be right. We rely on the world to guide us, not our compass.

Any good Boy Scout will tell you that you never hike without a compass. Of the 10 essential items each scout takes with him on a hike, a map and compass are near the top of the list.

Fortunately for us, we have an internal compass in the person of the Holy Spirit, and our map is His Word as He reveals it to us with Scripture. As a Father guides His son, our Heavenly Father guides us along our path. For me, when I need guidance from my Heavenly Father, I usually turn to the Book of Proverbs.

June 5, 2008 is the day I became saved in Christ. A few months before that day, Marissa gave me my first Bible. My introduction into reading the Bible was going through the Book of Proverbs. Since the LORD providentially gave us 31 chapters in Proverbs, each day of the month I would read the chapter number matching that day’s date and share a verse with her.

It was while reading Proverbs that the veil of mystery surrounding the Bible began to lift for me. Passages that first read like riddles began making sense. I began to embrace the Bible as a handbook on how to lead my life.

I would like to share one of my favorite Proverbs with you, Proverbs 3:5-8.

(5) Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
(6) In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
(7) Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
(8) It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.

It was verses 5 and 6 of Proverbs 3 that came to mind when I was standing on that platform overlooking the corn maze. Our LORD has a much better view of our lives than we do. He sees the whole picture. He knows where our next turns will be. Without the Lord we will wander aimlessly about the maze, guessing which turn to make in hopes we’ll eventually make it out safely. But if we turn our lives over to Christ, our paths become straightened. Our choices are made with wisdom we receive from the Holy Spirit. We know how our journey will end, and it gives us hope.

Verse 7 reminds me that I do not have all the answers. My nature is to be the fix-it person. In my marriage, my work and with my friends, I like being the problem solver. I like being the go-to person that helps find resolution. Before I was saved, if I had a problem myself, I would look inwardly and try to fix it myself. For me, asking for help was a sign of weakness.

Later I learned it was a sign of pride. Pride was a thorn in my flesh. Still is. Satan loves pride. But when I remember to turn it over to the LORD; to pray to my Lord and Savior and ask him for his divine intervention, peace falls upon me. I feel my Father’s hand on my shoulder reassuring me that He is watching over me.

On the Boy Scout list of 10 Essentials, water is listed at the top. It sustains us. It refreshes us when we’re weary. The LORD is our Living Water. Praying is like a cool drink of water after a long hike. When I put my LORD first in my life and am aligned with Him, it is as written in verse 8 "healing to my flesh and refreshment to my bones".

There is so much wisdom and fatherly advise packed into Proverbs. I love how the dialog is written as a father speaking to his son. Proverbs give me advice on how to lead my life, how to honor my marriage and how to lead my family. It helps me to love my neighbor, to develop a good work ethic and to avoid sin. For me, Proverbs was a gateway to the teachings of the Bible. There is nothing in our lives we can not find guidance for in Scripture. It really is my handbook for life.