Finding the Way Home

Many Paths, One Destination

My father, a retired telephone engineer, was kind enough to meet me at my office late last Friday afternoon to examine our telephone system and answer some questions about the services we’ve accumulated over the years.

When we left my office, we headed to my house for dinner. “I’ll use my GPS,” Dad said, as I prepared to give him directions. Our rural home is a familiar destination for him, but my office is 12 miles away in an unfamiliar part of the city. We parted in the parking lot and joined the parade of weary commuters driving home.

Four different routes, each with dozens of permutations, will lead you from my office to my home. As you get closer, leaving the city behind, fewer options are available, until finally there’s only one way to go to reach the destination.

Dad and I set out on different courses. I had spotted him making a right turn as I continued straight through a major intersection a mile from the office. But as I waited at the final major intersection–the last decision point in the route–Dad glided to a stop in the line of cars behind me. By the time we reached the final, four-mile twisting stretch of country road, he was right behind me.
 
Isn’t it just like this in our walk with Christ? We may arrive on the route from different starting points, and we may take different turns along the way, as His earthly plans for each of us differ.
 
But when it’s time to claim our eternal home, we’re all heading in the same direction, following Him.

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”
Psalm 32:8-9 (NLT)

Comments

  1. That is a great observation. People like to say that all paths lead to God, implying you can do whatever you want in life and you will still get into heaven. Oddly enough, that may actually be true, except for the caviat that there is only one enterence to the driveway and it's gated. Thanks for broadening my understandings again Sheila. Mike

  2. Interesting…I always took "all paths lead to God" to mean that no matter how wretched, despicable, painful, or devastating your path is, if you call on Him, He will meet you there and lead you to the right path. But then there was that thief on the cross….

    Thanks for reading, Mike.