Traveler's Log

Chris Anderson

February 4, 2010

Today's Passage: Psalm 25

My name is Chris Anderson and I have the honor of being married to my best friend, Vicky. We have been married for 22 years and have two wonderful teenagers, DJ and Josh.

I have been privileged to serve in the Children's, Middle School and High School ministries at HCBC. It has required me to get out of my comfort zone and allow God to use me in ways I would have never dreamed of. My most memorable moment in ministry was playing "Captain Misery" in Adventure Bay (now Adventure Zone).

Key Verse:

"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths..." (Psalm 25:4)

Central Truth:

God has a path chosen for every one of us. It is our choice to follow that path or lead our own path.

WHAT DIRECTION ARE YOU GOING???

About six years ago we took our family on a trip to the Grand Canyon. We wanted to hike to the bottom, camp, and then hike back out. We started to plan for our trip six months before we were to leave. One of the biggest decisions we had to make was to choose which path we would take. There were over ten different paths and I was confused about which would be the best one. So we did a few things to help us decide:

1. We asked others that had already gone.

2. We asked the experts.

To our surprise the best path was not so obvious. We ended up taking a longer route down and a shorter route up. This was by far the best path for us, as these paths were the only two that would allow us to fill our bottles with water.

David asked God to teach him His paths. Just like I needed to understand which path we should take for our vacation, David needed to know which paths to take in his life. This was not always easy for him, and we have seen from the Psalms that he didn't always choose God's path. But David knew where to look for advice and guidance. He looked to God to teach him. He did this by talking to God and, most importantly, listening to God.

Like David, we need to ask God to teach us His paths, and then listen to what He has to say. There are many paths that we can take, but God has a chosen path that is BEST for you.

This passage reminded me of a song we sang in Adventure Bay (previous children's event at HCBC) based on this Scripture: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Discussion Questions:

1. What path has God chosen for you?

2. When is the last time you did a path check to see if you are on the correct path?
3. Do you shy away from the hard paths? If so, why?

Comments

Chip Smith

February 4, 2010 05:54:28 AM

Hello Captain Misery (Chris). Thank you for your timely log. Your advice is very good: Ask God and then listen to what He has to say. Even though I know this, I tend to try and figure things out on my own. In hindsight, the times I have looked to God for direction, listening to His word and His Spirit, have been 100% right. For the most part, the times I did not have been 100% wrong. I want to add one more element to your advice: Trust. As I read your log, I know that trust in God is implied but sometimes as I have stepped out in faith on God's direction and opposition hits me, I have wavered back into trusting my own understanding. Those times have not had good results. Therefore, I wanted to add that, just as David does right in the beginning of this psalm, "O my God, in You I trust."

David Skeen

February 4, 2010 09:11:05 AM

I imagine that there were times in David's youth when it was difficult for him to see the right path for his sheep, on a dark evening, when a storm was approaching. God our shepherd knows what paths are right for us, knows where our path turns, knows which fork in a path we should take.

Conni Thoms

February 4, 2010 10:24:32 AM

Thanks for the Grand Canyon comparison...that visual is a great reminder for me to continually seek God and His plan and path for my life.

Bob A. King

February 4, 2010 11:11:38 AM

Chris, That is SO GOOD!! Your Grand Canyon illustration is perfect and will remain in my mind for a long time. This not only illustrates today's Bible reading but also sheds a huge light on Proverbs 3:5-6. THANK YOU!!