Discerning Life's Direction

Wednesday, June 29, 2016
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Psalm 119:59 – I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. (NLT)

Direction determines destination. MapQuest is one of my favourite driving directions applications. Siri is nice, but she tends to misunderstand my southern accent. With MapQuest, I simply plug in my desired destination, and it takes me there. It even has a voice to guide me so that I don't have to distract myself by looking at the listed directions. But in order for MapQuest to take me somewhere, I must put in my intended destination. Recently, I plugged in Herndon, West Virginia, USA — the place where my brother and his wife moved a few months ago. Had I entered some other destination, we wouldn't have arrived in Herndon. Six hours later, we arrived in Herndon, but only because I headed in the right direction to begin with.

In today's verse, the psalmist did what all people must do at some point in life: ponder the direction that they are heading or plan to head. Relationship with God, career, college, place of residence, investments, relationships — all require going in a particular direction to reach the proper destination.

Forty-six years ago, I discerned a direction that I needed to go. The direction involved turning my life over to Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive my sins, and making a commitment to serve Him faithfully and unashamedly. For most of those years, I've headed in the right direction. When I have, I've always arrived at my intended destination: godly living. The few times that I've taken a detour, I've found myself involved in pursuits and relationships that I should have left alone. Direction determines destination. But if I consulted my life map, God was faithful to take me back to the route that would lead me once again to my intended objective.

Heaven is my ultimate destination. I'm closer now than I've ever been. I may make a few more unintended detours, but I have the assurance that I'll arrive safely. My heavenly guide is better than any app that I could download. He always gets me where I need to go if I'll take His advice and follow His directions.

Let your life destination be to love and serve God.

Prayer: Father, guide us to Your destination for our life, and give us the fortitude never to veer from the route. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Direction determines destination. You’re in the right direction.


    Well done Martin.
    Blessings.


    Martin, may we always follow God’s directional app, God’s Word. Thanks for writing this devotional. It spoke to me. Blessings.


    Another beautiful devotional Martin and a great way to describe your journey to Heaven. I always find your words inspirational. God bless you and yours.


    The other ‘app’ I use is the Daily Devotional. You and the other writers provide so much guidance and insight to us all and I am thankful for this blessing in my life.


    Great analogy Martin. May we stay plugged into the Holy Spirit as He is the only One who can give us perfect direction for our lives.
    Blessings.


    Thank you, Martin, for this story. I think my grandfather was saying pretty much the same thing to me when I was growing up. He said it this way, “If you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?”
    Blessings.


    Dear Martin Wiles,
    Thank you for a fine devotional. May we head in the direction of victory in the grace of our Lord bought for us by the suffering of his cross.


    Hi Martin,
    Thank you for your devotional. It was indeed wonderful to see that you were guided to go the way you did. Sometimes we feel that ahead of tiem I think and sometimes after a certain event took place we realize that it was God’s will.
    Thank you.
    Blessings.

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