The Traveler’s Compass

Psalm 32:8, “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

Who doesn’t enjoy a little vacation now and again? Yet, to plan a vacation, we need to prepare ahead of time. It’s better to know the route you’ll be taking so you reach your destination and are also aware of what you may encounter on the way. Some like to plan as they go, but everyone still needs the basics packed to live along the way. Once at our destination, the time away can reenergize us, give us much-needed rest, and give us fuel to head back home to daily life.

From the time we are born, we are on a journey. Each phase we go through, each year ticked off the calendar, takes us in all directions, some goo,d some not so good. But, like planning a vacation, our life needs some things to keep us prepared and moving forward.

 

 Charlie Chaplin, when he was 88 years old, left us 4 statements on life.

1.     Nothing is forever in this world, not even our problems.

2.     I love walking in the rain because no one can see my tears.

3.     The most lost day in life is the day we don’t laugh.

4.     Six best doctors in the world: -The sun, Diet, Rest, Self-respect, Exercise, Friends

Stick to these at all stages of your life and enjoy a healthy life…

 

Now let’s look at what science tells us we need as a basis to survive:

 

Some of these even fit into what Charlie Chaplin was saying. Lastly, let’s look at the Bible and what Jesus tells us about life:

I am the source of Living Water- John 4:14

I am the Breath of Life- Genesis 2:7

I am the Bread of Life- John 6:35

I am the Light of the World- John 8:12

 

Looks like science is right; to live life, we need JESUS. Also, it looks like Charlie had some good ideas along the way, too.

 

1.     We need sunlight- Ecclesiastes 11:7-8

2.     We need rest- Matthew 11:28-30

3.     We need exercise- Psalm 18:32-34

4.     We need a healthy diet- Genesis 1:29

5.     We need to believe in and respect ourselves as a child of God- 1 John 3:1

6.     We need good friends- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

 

God is the God of creation. He created this world, and He created you and me. He also inspired the words we find in scripture. A life well-lived is a life lived in Christ, our source for all things.

Charlie Chaplin adds in his speech, “If you see the moon, you will see the beauty of God. If you see the sun, you will see the power of God. If you see a mirror, you will see God’s best creation.”

 

Life is a journey, and we can enjoy the journey when we put our trust in God. He is our travel agent who has already set our route for the best trip, even when we run into “traffic or problems.”He has already made our bookings, and when we stay on His route, our final destination has already been booked in advance. The best part is that when we let Jesus book our life plans, He will also be our tour guide along the way. Jesus tells us to live today, we may not have a tomorrow.

The older I get, the more I enjoy staying home snuggling with my pets and comforts. But my husband and I also enjoy our little vacations, always looking for new places to explore and to simply get away, now and again.

Yet, as Christians, we are not meant to stay home and just get a weekly blessing at church. If we really want to follow our travel agent, we should see church as a launchpad. A place to plan our journey for the week.

 

“Church…

A place to check the guidebook for the sites that we want to see this week

A place to reconnect with the people we might travel with

A place to stock up on food for the journey in the Word

A place to get equipment we need through the gifts of the Holy Spirit

A place to reconnect ourselves with our tour guide and master, Jesus

A place to dream of where God might be inviting us to take His love

A place to commit our whole journey into God’s hands of love and care.” -Kate Heichler

 

As we walk out the church door, we again start off on the journey we’ve been on. Each day, we can wake up and ask our travel agent, “Where are you leading me today? Where and to whom can I share your love and proclaim your peace and freedom?”

And the following week we can head back to church, where we can recharge for the next leg of our journey, share stories with others we had met along the road, share how we may have seen God leading and who was blessed, and praise the Lord because our journey gets to keep on going.

Life is a journey we will travel; it’s inevitable. It’s how we decide to travel along the way. In the highs and lows, will you decide to trust that your Travel Agent has the best route for you to travel? Our Savior will provide all we need to live, and He is the best doctor. Charlie Chaplin had the right idea, science is on the right path, all we need is JESUS! Enjoy your vacation and do try to get away now and again on some little vacations along the way.