Directionally Challenged

One year, while on summer vacation, I got terribly lost. It was a daunting experience. At first, I was afraid. Then when I found my way back to my family, I was embarrassed. For a whole day, I’d caused anxiety in my husband, sons, sisters and nephews. Anxiety is nothing you expect to feel while on vacation, but that’s what we all felt during my time of disorientation. 

My oldest sister and her husband had invited us to go boat camping with them on their houseboat at Lake Powell. The boat was big with enough space for all of us. 

Our days were filled with the fun of lounging in the water on flotation devices or going water skiing. At night we’d stare up into the starlit sky. We all basked in the luxuriousness of the beautiful surroundings.

Each morning though, I’d rise early, pack a little backpack with my Bible, a pen, my journal, a bottle of water and a protein bar and head east to watch the sunrise in absolute silence. After an hour or so, I’d go back to the boat, ready to spend the day with the noise, commotion and busyness of another day on the boat with my large clan of relatives.

Then one morning, I lost the boat. I could not find it from where I stood. Back tracking my steps more than once, and reprimanding myself for losing a very large houseboat proved futile. Falling to my knees in fear and crying out to God did not bring the miracle I wanted; seeing the boat. 

The water level of Lake Powell was lower than usual that year and I knew the boat was in the water, most likely tucked under a rock outcropping. I concluded that I’d find the boat, but it would have to be from a different point of view.

So, I set out walking. I needed to find a pathway that would take me to the other side of the lake where I knew I’d see the boat.

After an eight hour walk, I discovered the opposite side of the bay where the boat was parked. My husband was relieved to see me as were my sisters, sons and nephews. My brother-in-law had only a few words for me, “The next time you go out for a walk, orient yourself with some landmarks!”

    Orienting Ourselves

Without orienting ourselves to truth, we get lost in the barrage of ideas and philosophies from our present society. But, to whom or what do we determine as true? How do we orient ourselves to truth? 

If I’d had a compass while disoriented, the compass would have oriented me to true north. Because the Earth has a magnetic field, the needle of a compass always points toward the north magnetic pole. When I find north, then I know where south, east and west are located too. 

The magnetic field, though not seen with our eyes, does not make it any less real. Though the magnetic field is a mystery to me, that does not make it any less powerful. The magnetic field will always affect other magnetized objects, and point them north.

Why Bother?

Why bother noticing our inward orientation? No one wants to get lost, but sometimes we notice we’ve gotten lost. God has created us with a compass that is oriented to truth and we find truth when we orient ourselves to the Truth.