Ducks and Blazes
Sometimes I just know. The Holy Spirit gives an instant surety about the truth that is required. Its not deduction or intuition; its discernment. It is a thing God does. I trust Him to use it when it suits Him. Most times it does not suit him to use it to show me my personal path forward. I’m clear on direction; but details follow as needed.
A few days ago I heard a pastor joke that his spiritual gift was hindsight. It’s true that the way is always clearer looking back. Though I have direction, passion, and principles of the Word to guide me I would really like to have a map. Wouldn’t it be great to have a map of your life to clearly show the path to your greatest opportunities for growth and service? There are times when I wonder if I am paying enough attention. I’m confident that I am on course, but I don’t want to leave behind any opportunity to learn, experience, love, or grow.
When you express your greatest passion then you’ll also reveal your greatest fear. Mine is standing before God and hearing, “Well done good and faithful servant; now let me show you what we could have done if you’d been paying better attention”. A few months ago (Will & Grace) I discussed being a reforming striver. I think this fear is a remnant of the striver’s desire to earn grace.
When hiking a wilderness trail over uneven terrain one can seldom see the trail ahead for more than a hundred yards. Map, compass, and GPS all serve but confirmation that you’re on the right path comes in the form of landmarks, ducks, and blazes. A duck is a stack of rocks used to mark the trail over hard ground. A small rock on top of a larger one looks like a duck. A blaze is a mark made by removing a section of bark from a tree. Trailblazers did this to mark the trail above the snowline for those who would follow.
The Bible tells me that there is a general plan for the earth and the universe in which it swims. It also says that there is a specific plan for my current and future destiny. I trust Him with the outcome. By His limitless creative power He weaves our choices for evil or good into a reality that obeys. He allows us freedom and His will gets done. I think I get it; but I’d still like to see the map that marks my life course. I hear someone saying, “Dude, Chill, it’s in the Bible; I read the last chapter and we win”. Thanks, but I am thinking of the big picture for my life.
A map is a wondrous thing. It gives the big picture, locates obstacles, and guides safe passage. I like the big picture, I like reference points to mark progress, and I hate backtracking. When I get off the freeway I want to get back on at least a few hundred yard further in the right direction. This is at odds with the fact that I will drive 30 miles out of the way to see a mystery spot or the worlds largest Jack-a-lope but at least I was making progress toward a destination. But I digress, suffice it to say maps are good and backtracking is bad.
There are incidents in scripture where God does lay out the map and show a life course. I am not sure I would have appreciated the gesture had I been in the shoes of Jeremiah or Isaiah. Here is the part where you give up everything, where you preach for 70 years, and by the way nobody listens. More often it seems that God just says go. He tells Abram to pull up stakes and go, details to follow as needed.
The apostle Philip was having a great time up north telling people the good news about Jesus. An angel showed up and told him to head south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. Most of us when confronted by an angel would lack the presence of mind to ask many questions. But Philip had a long walk to think it over and I imagine him reworking the encounter; “Really, you come all the way from Heaven and the entire message is ‘head south’. Would it be too much to give me a little bit more information about the who, what, where, and how of this trip?” But he goes, not knowing if he will recognize the mission when it appears. He met, taught, and baptized the Ethiopian. Then, as if to let him know the mission is complete, The Spirit teleported him to his next venue.
A truth, a principle, a certainty, and wise counsel most often guide us to “head south”. Less often there are those who receive the unmistakable direction Philip did. So, I am working at contentment with the ultimate map that is God’s plan as depicted in scripture. I’m still asking for the specific map of my journey, but I’m learning to trust Him a hundred yards at a time.
I’m learning to listen to the Holy Spirit and trust Him more. There are times when the best we can do is follow the last clear directive and keep our eyes open for the reassuring signs that mark the way. When we trust Him a hundred yards at a time there are ducks and blazes to encourage and course-correct along the way. As much as I really would like a map, I know that it would feed my independent spirit. Ducks and blazes provide details as needed and keep me listening expectantly.