Have you ever gotten lost?

Have you ever gotten lost?

I got lost once...really lost...it was pretty scary.

I was working at a Christian camp in the mountains in California and I had gone out for a "photo hike" with my camera into the wilderness. I wanted to get some pictures of the beautiful scenery to remember my summer at camp. I hiked down a hill that was covered with pine needles to get a picture of some really interesting flowers that I saw from the trail...

I did what we are trained to never do...I went off trail. I got my shot and turned around and realized I could not go back the way I had come from...the hill was too steep and the pine needles made it too slippery to climb. I had no choice but to go in a direction I wasn't familiar with and hope that I could find my way back to camp.

Isn't life like that sometimes? We head toward something that is interesting to us and in the process we go "off trail" and get lost? God says in his Word "...the way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice." Whether it is the pursuit of perfect grades, or being the best at a sport, anything that pulls us away from our relationship with God is the way of a fool. I was trained to always stay on the trail when I was hiking...that was pretty good advice...advice I didn't listen to that day...and I ended up lost, off trail where I wasn't likely to be found by anyone...and to make things worse I knew there had been bear sightings in the area lately!

Psalm 19:7-8 tells us:
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

God's got some great advice for us in His Word if we take the time to listen to it!!

I didn't stay lost in the woods that day...I took some time and stopped and prayed that God would show me the way out. When I looked up I noticed a huge oak tree that I hadn't noticed before...I knew that tree!! I also knew there was a path on the other side of that tree that would lead me back to camp. God had shown me a way out! Will you take some time out to pray for God to give you direction along your path in life? If you do He is sure to show you the path that he desires for you!!