God makes a promise, then tells Abraham to leave home
and go where God will guide him.
Ben Patterson tells of a common experience of
westerners, particularly missionaries, traveling through jungle sections of the
Amazon. They will ask members of a village to give them directions to where
they want to go. "I have a compass, a map, and some coordinates."
The villager knows precisely the directions to get
them there, but he offers to take them himself.
"No, that's okay. I don't want a guide. I just
want directions."
"That's no good. I must take you there."
"But I have a map right here. And I have a
compass. And the coordinates."
"It does not work that way. I can get you there,
but I must take you myself. You must follow me."
We prefer directions, principles, steps, keys. We
prefer these things because they leave us in control. If I'm holding the map,
I'm still in charge of the trip. I can go where I want to go. If I have a
guide, I must trust. I must follow. I must relinquish control.
God
is not much on maps and compasses and coordinates. Life just doesn't work that
way. We don't need directions. We need a Guide.
--
John Ortberg in Faith & Doubt
#3225
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