The Wrong Freeway

Returning to Michigan from Indiana one evening, I contacted a friend, and was surprised to find out that he also was traveling north. He asked, “Where are you?” I replied, “I am just leaving Indianapolis.” He asked which exit, so I told him. He then said, “I think I am just a little ahead of you, so if you have a few minutes, we can have a cup of coffee together.”

Excited at the opportunity of having a chat with someone of like faith, we shared information on what types of vehicles we were driving, and agreed on a possible meeting place. I did not recognize the place, however, and was even more puzzled when he suggested driving five miles to a nearby town that I knew was not close to the freeway.

Wanting to be seen as considerate, I still agreed to meet him, even though messages were popping up in my mind like “low battery” warnings on a portable computer! These messages indicated that we might actually be talking of different places.

Indecisiveness caused by too much pride to admit that I didn’t know Indiana that well, and uneasiness to challenge his credibility, resulted in my procrastination!

Having made a promise I did not know if I could keep, I shut off the phone. As I grew quiet, it suddenly dawned on me what was wrong – we were on different freeways!

I quickly called him back, and admitted the mistake. He indicated that it was a good thing that I called, because he was about to stop someone that looked like me!

God had given this inner “sixth-sense”, or discernment, so to speak, because he loved me. That love, richly demonstrated in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was mine to grasp, and utilize in the discernment I had been given.

Such an inner sense is available to us as a resource, as we carefully walk in fellowship with our Creator.

I thought to myself, “If God does this much to make sure we keep on track – why, then, are we so negligent preserving such a wonderful gift? We don’t really realize how important it is that we understand the nature of what God has done, and wants to do.” (Hebrews 2:3.)

If it were not for constant course corrections, travel to the moon and distant planets would not be possible! An old saying is, “Water always finds a way.” Why, then, are we not careful about guarding against leaks?

There is an old hymn that speaks volumes to me:

“A charge to keep I have,
A God to glorify!
A never-dying soul to save,
And fit it for the sky!”

It is not that we save ourselves, but having seen that glorious salvation, we need to heed the apostle Paul, who tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12 KJV)

In view of that, determined, persistent, aggressive action proves faith rather than disproves it, being built on the solid foundation of God’s initiative.