Have you ever been driving down the road and all of a sudden, you realized that you missed your turn? You are now quickly driving away from your destination! It may have been because someone told you how to get there, but they weren’t quite sure of the directions. Perhaps, you casually glanced over the directions and thought, “Oh – that’s easy, I know where I’m going,” when if you would have taken a little more time, you wouldn’t have missed that turn. Or perhaps, you didn’t even take the time to look up the directions – you thought you’d just “feel” your way there.
That’s how some people are when it comes to the road to heaven. Some listen to what others say they should do without ever studying God’s Word for themselves. If the ones that they follow are going in the right direction, they may be okay. But Jesus warned, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14) We must be careful when following what others think. Perhaps you’ve listened to sermons and you’ve read parts of the Bible, and say, “I know what to do to become a Christian. This is easy.” But only when we study the whole Word, can we “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). We must study to see how to rightly divide the Word of truth. Then, there are those who just “feel” like God is a God of love and He wouldn’t cast anyone into hell. But upon studying His Word, they will find out that God is a God of love – that’s why He sent His son to die on the cross. That’s why it is so important for us for follow His will. He doesn’t want us to be lost. He’s done His part, but we also have a part to do.
The most wonderful thing about going down the wrong way of life is that God allows U-Turns! God said, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). There’s no shame in stopping to ask for directions, turning around and following the Ethiopian eunuch who was “going on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39). Oh how we are – simply blessed, Courtney