I love to go for a long drive on a sunny day. There is something relaxing about the open road
listening to my favorite music on the radio with the sun roof open. I love to drive to clear my
head or to think, sing and pray. I have an idea of where I want to end up. When I set out, I
usually have a destination in mind.
When I get in the car and have in mind going someplace, I need to know how to get there. I
may have already been there so I know the way or am familiar with the area. If I’m going
someplace unfamiliar, I use my GPS. Sometimes people try to give me directions, but I don’t
follow directions well. Too many details about turns or the mention of east and west and my
eyes glaze over. It’s easier for me to just use the GPS. I love my GPS to get where I’m going.
Proverbs 29: 18 says:
(Common English Bible) When there’s no vision, the people get out of control, but whoever
obeys instructions is happy.
(King James Version) Where there is no vision, the people perish, but happy is he who keeps
the Law.
(God’s Word Bible) Without prophetic vision people run wild, but blessed are those who follow
God’s teachings.
Probably my favorite rendering of the Scripture is the Message Bible:
If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend
to what he reveals, they are most blessed.
Similar to a car, the church needs to know where it’s going and how to get there. Proverbs 29:
18 says that without God’s vision the people don’t know where they’re going, but happy is the
one who follows God. I said Sunday in the sermon that we’re going to begin a prayerful
process of discerning where God wants us to go and how we can get there – or how we can
see what God is doing and attend to what he reveals.
