When You Feel Lost
A lost motorist pulled over to the side of a country road in Missouri when he saw a farmer in his field, and asked, "Where is the main highway to Quincy?" "I don't know," replied the farmer.
"Well, where is the highway to Hannibal?" "I don't know," came the reply once again.
"Where does this highway go?" the traveler asked one more time, his patience growing thin. Once again, the farmer answered, "I don't know."
"You don't know much, do you?" asked the frustrated motorist. "No," replied the farmer, "but I ain't lost."
At a missions conference in Houston many years back, speaker Marti Ensign, a missionary to Africa, told of bringing some African pastors to the United States for a big meeting.
During their free time, these Africans wanted to go shopping. Even though they were in a small town, Marti knew there was a chance someone might have difficulty or get lost. So she gave them her phone number for such an emergency. In less than an hour the phone rang and the African said, "I am lost."
Marti said, "Lay the phone down, go to the street corner, find out the names of the two streets at the corner, come back and tell me, and I will come and get you."
In a few minutes he returned to the phone and reported, "I am at the corner of 'Walk' and 'Don't Walk.'"
Sometimes as we seek to know how God is leading us, we feel lost, like we are standing at that same street corner. We don't know whether to "walk" or "don't walk," and we can't find anyone to give us directions. It is at times like these, when it seems that heaven is quiet, that we must learn the often difficult lesson of waiting, and of being obedient and content where God has us.
I know of several in our church family who I have talked to lately, who feel like they are standing at that street corner. They are inquiring of the Lord, open to His will, ready to do whatever He leads, but in His sovereignty, the Lord is not giving them clarity of direction for now. Perhaps that's also where you are right now.
Do you realize how many people in Scripture were at that point at one time or another? Do you know how many made the grave mistake of getting ahead of God, instead of waiting on Him? Likewise, do you know how many were abundantly blessed and used mightily of God because they waited on His direction, in His timing, to act?
Remember, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are never lost, if He knows where you are. Trust Him, even if that means being still, and not moving forward until you hear His voice clearly for your situation. In the meantime, consider the wonderful words from the prayer of Jehoshaphat: "...We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." (2 Chron. 20:12)
On the other hand, if you have not placed your faith in Jesus, been born again, and entered into a relationship with God, then the Bible says you are lost. The good news is that Jesus came for that very purpose: "to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10). Turn to Him, trust Him, follow Him, and you will find your way in life, in Him.
May the Lord bless each of you as keep your eyes on Him this week, and as you follow in obedience however and wherever He leads. I am praying for you, as I hope you are for me, and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
--Pastor Ken
