There was a popular song from days gone by titled Go Your Own Way, maybe you remember it. Very seldom in life do we go our own way, but we follow the guidance of someone who has gone before us. Most times we look for a trusted source and follow their guidance. At times we are not aware of how much the actions of others guide us. Whose guidance do we rely on? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us;

Eccl 1:9; NLT; History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

Soloman’s wisdom serves as a clue to the direction we should seek. Knowledge exists that will provide guidance for us. Someone has been here before and we would do well to learn from their lessons. So, as we move forward we need to evaluate who or what we are relying on to guide us.

A few weeks back my windshield was hit by a rock and needed to be replaced. I didn’t think too much of it until the company said we will need to drive your car on the road for several miles to recalibrate the guidance systems. I began to realize that my car was making decisions based on what it sensed to guide me safely down the road. I do confess, I don’t rely on the guidance of my car for most of my travel, but there are some times when it makes driving easier.

Remember in the old days when you drove the car? I remember some had a manual choke, clutch and the driver did the decision making. Remember when the starting procedure was pump the gas twice and then hold it a quarter throttle then turn the key. Try that today and you’ll confuse the computer and you’ll never start the car.

It hit me that every day we put our trust in the hands of not only others but AI, artificial intelligence. People we don’t even know are entrusted with our lives. We take so much for granted. When you stop and think about the level of trust we put in others we are overwhelmed. Who have we entrusted our life to?

Some people say that to trust in Jesus is foolish; you can’t see him, and how do you know he exists? Some say that to trust in Jesus means you are weak and cannot stand on your own. Others say it is silly to have faith in something that you can’t talk to, touch or feel. How can Jesus guide me if I don’t see him beside me?

Why is it that we are willing to trust so many things in our life that will eventually fail, but we are unwilling to trust the one person in all the world that will never fail?

The writer of Hebrews explains the meaning of faith for us;

Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

God has plans for our life. He has planned out everything. David Scott puts it this way;

From: God

To: you@earth.com

RE: today

Today may seem like an accident. But, believe it or not, I actually know what is going on, and I have everything under control. Really! So, don’t freak out. It was my idea. It seems crazy, I know. I’ll explain later. Just follow me, I know what happens next.

God

P.S. If you have any questions, I’ll be here if you need me.

Are we ready to put our trust and faith in the only person worthy of trust, Jesus Christ? Are we ready to take direction from God and live our life in a way that honors Him? These questions lead us to other questions we need to ask ourselves.

What keeps us from putting our trust and faith in God? What keeps us from letting God have control of our lives? Why is it hard to let God guide us?

The writer of Hebrews again helps us with some things to consider.

Hebrews 12:1, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

There are three words in this verse that we need to look at, hinder, entangle and perseverance. These three let us know that the road to putting your faith and trust in God has some obstacles.

Hindrances come from our own mind; decisions we make that don’t honor God. They create circumstances that we were not meant to experience. They distract us from seeing God and His direction.

Entanglements take the hindrances to their natural conclusion. This happens when we try to fix things ourselves. We can’t. We end up sinning. Sin separates us from God.

That leaves perseverance, we need to work through it; that means to seek out God, and overcome the obstacles we face and not give up. God has a plan for us, a good plan, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be tests and trials. Perseverance means we will make it through when we put our trust and faith in God and follow His direction.

Mattew 7:7-8; NLT; “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Jesus spoke these words in the Sermon on the Mount and encourages believers to actively approach God, with the assurance that by asking, seeking, and persistently knocking, they will receive guidance and direction from God.

Let’s make a commitment to put our faith in God through Jesus and follow the guidance He provides. Let’s commit to letting God lead us through our lives.  Please contact me if you would like help with doing that. Have a great week.

Blessings,

Pastor Don