Charting the Course - The Christian Online Magazine

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One of the saddest chapters in the history of exploration is the one in which La Salle got off course and his final voyage ended in disaster. Looking for the mouth of the Mississippi River he was ship wrecked along the central Texas coast. Eventually he was killed by one of his own men.

Today ocean liners constantly update their course as they sail across the ocean. If they are off only one degree, they could end up hundreds of miles off course. An oil tanker heading for the tropical shores of Africa could end up seeing the penguins along the shores of Antarctica. As Christians traveling through life we can easily get distracted, unless we diligently correct our course. We can do this by mediating on God’s Word. We need the Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Word, or else we might end up walking in the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit. The difference of the two is being a struggling Christian or a victorious Christian.

If we try to measure ourselves to other Christians we will end up off course. We can always find someone else who is struggling more than we are. Likewise we can always make excuses for ourselves when we know we are struggling spiritually. We sometimes go to extremes to avoid comparing our lives to the Word of God.

If we try to base our decisions on our emotions we will end up short of what God intends for us. Unlike our emotions God’s Word never changes. However if we chart our course on the Bible we will be in the middle of God’s will. This doesn’t mean life will be carefree, but we can have the assurance God is with us no matter what comes our way. The course, which uses the Bible and prayer, will safely lead to Heaven. Our lives are not on automatic pilot; although the Bible offers us guidance it is up to us to apply it to our lives.

The storms of life are too strong for us to navigate on our own. If we allow society to make our decisions for us, we will be driven by the winds of popular opinion. The ocean of life is full of hidden dangers. Unseen reefs, underwater currents and other hidden dangers lie beneath the murky waters of life. The problems of work, school and different relationships can be difficult for us to navigate without the aid of God’ Word.

It was the Word of God, which Christ used as he was tempted in the wilderness. When Satan tried to get Jesus to jump off the cliff, he attempted to convince Christ that testing was the same as trusting. If Satan can shade the truth a little he has successfully gotten us off course and weakened our testimony.

Christ didn’t depend on the scribes and Pharisees. Over the centuries they had modified God’s Word to fit their lives. He didn’t depend on the fickle emotions of the crowd. They were ready to crown him king and a few days later they were ready to crucify him. Neither did he depend on his disciples. They could not be counted on when he needed them the most. Instead he depended on the Word of God. If the Word of God is good enough for Christ, it is good enough for us.

Some people are in awe of the church building or some of the traditions found in the church. Instead we should be in awe of God’s Word (Is. 66:2). The course of easy religion and cheap grace is not the way to go. The danger of cheap grace is that we are guilty of twisting the Scripture to our own destruction (II Pet. 3:16). Christ didn’t casually save us and we shouldn’t casually serve him. Only by praying and reading the Bible can we know what God has planned for us. If we don’t correct our course daily there isn’t any need to expect God to use us in mighty ways. The person who doesn’t constantly correct his course will have a lifetime of unnecessary struggles.