(Jesus said) "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:46-48

For almost a decade it was my privilege to travel and represent The Lutheran Hour and the International Lutheran Laymen's League.

It was a privilege, but it was also a challenge. It was a challenge because I am DD; that is directionally deficient. Put me in a small paper bag with a light at the open end and I will still turn the wrong way.

This explains why when I was traveling for The Lutheran Hour I frequently found myself in a strange place with no clue as to how I was going to get to my destination.

Although I hated to do it -- and I hate just as much admitting it -- I learned to swallow my pride and ask for directions.

May I tell you there were times those directions didn't help.

The directions didn't help because the people I asked were generally life-long residents of the place where I was lost. That's why their answer usually went something like this: "You go down to the intersection where the old school house used to be -- it burned down about five years ago -- and then make a left. Take that two miles south to the old Krueger farm. No, they don't live there anymore. They moved out 18 years ago, but we still call it the Krueger farm."

You can see why those directions might be hard to follow.

Of course, there are some people who do more than tell us where to go. For example, a few months ago I met a fellow and asked for directions and he didn't tell me where to go. Instead, he jumped into his car and said, "Follow me. I'll take you right to it."

Have you ever considered that's what Jesus does.

He doesn't -- like the other religions of the world -- give you a list of do this, and don't do that.

Rather than telling us where to go (something which He, as God's perfect Son could easily and rightly have done), Jesus preferred to invite us to follow Him.

"Follow Me," He said, and then He showed us the way (see Matthew 16:24). No, that's not quite right. Then the Holy Spirit showed us that Jesus was the one, the only Way a sinner can be saved and taken to heaven.

Jesus is the only Way we won't be lost.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are a lot of paths out in the world. Most of time those paths entice us, invite us, saying, "Here, take this path, it will deliver you to where you want to be." Lord, help me remember that those paths can't take me to where I'm going because they don't take me to my Savior, who gave His life for my salvation. It is in His Name I pray it. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Job 34-35    Matthew 14:22-36

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