Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.
— Jeremiah 10:23
I have a GPS on my phone, but I rarely use it. I usually tend to think I know where I’m going, even when I don’t.
For the most part, every time I do use the GPS, it’s because I’ve already tried finding something myself but have managed to get lost. I think it is a “guy thing.”
When I finally type the destination into my phone, the first question that comes on the screen is this: “Directions from current location?” In other words, “Do you want to start where you are?”
The answer to that question seems obvious enough, right? Of course I want to start from here. I’m not even sure where “here” is, but I’m confident that I want to start from here. And as soon as I answer that question affirmatively, the GPS begins calculating my route — not from where I started before I lost my way, not from the direction I should be headed or from a point farther along my journey, but from right where I’m currently located.
So why does such an obvious answer physically seem to elude people spiritually? I’ve discovered that the most common reason people give for not following Jesus is that they want to get their lives together first. How many times have I heard from others, “When I get it together, I will see you in church”? They want to get a few things squared away or take care of some personal issues.
They want to start their journey from somewhere else than where they are currently located.
When Jesus invites you to follow Him, He wants you to start right now from your current location. You don’t have to go back to where you started. You don’t need to get a little closer on your own. He reaches out to you with grace and love and invites you to follow Him.
Feeling weak? Depend on His strength. Trapped in sin? Find freedom in His endless mercy. Been down this road before? Know that He is still patiently waiting for you to come home. Lost? Trust His directions.
Jesus wants you to start following Him from right where you are — and He wants you to start right now. It promises to be an incredible journey.
What is your current spiritual location? Far from home? Lost off-road somewhere? Closer than you’ve ever been? Are you ready to start following Jesus right where you are — without your messes cleaned up?
The truth is if we could clean ourselves up and get it together on our own without Jesus, we would have already! We can’t do it!
He’s the only One who can help us make changes that stick, changes from the inside out. Why not write out a prayer committing to follow Jesus wherever He leads? Affirm your desire to follow Him, right now, from right here. That is what I am going to do right now.
The Rev. Bill Henderson is an associate pastor of Christian education and children’s ministry at New Palestine Bible Church. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
