The Directionally Impaired Man
In researching for this message, I came across a joke that is told about a couple relating their vacation experiences to a friend. "It sounds as if you had a great time in Texas," the friend observed. "But didn’t you tell me you were planning to visit Colorado?" "Well," the husband said, "we changed our plans because, uh...” His wife cut in, "Oh, tell the truth, Fred!" Fred was completely silent. After a long pause, the wife continued, "You know, it’s just ridiculous! Fred simply will not ask for directions!"
I am intrigued by the unwillingness of lost men to ask for directions. It is a complaint so common it is a frequent subject of jokes and TV comedies. Almost every woman has a story about a man who drove around for hours looking for someplace and refused her entreaties to stop and ask. Since the beginning of time man has been seeking to find his own way while refusing to ask for directions. There is something inside man that feels acknowleging this need and depending on another to show you him the way somehow makes you less of a man.
This in part may contribute to the success of the Global Positioning System (GPS) which for a few hundred dollars allows the directionally impaired man to cover up or hide his need to be shown the way. I “Google” the term GPS to find it is officially named NAVSTAR GPS, a name given by John Walsh. He was a key decision maker when it came to the budget for the GPS program. Following the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983, President Ronald Reagan issued a directive making the system available for free for civilian use as a common good. The satellite constellation is managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing and the cost of maintaining the system for the directionally impaired man is approximately $750 million per year. Even when men have a GPS they are often found overriding the directions because they think they know a better way and ignoring the “recalculating” cry of the device to get you back on the right path.
However, covering up the fact you are directionally impaired may be a laughting matter when dealing with a GPS device but it is no laughting matter when dealing with God. The truth from God’s perspective is that every man is directional impaired even if he doesn’t want to admit it. Man needs someone to show him the way. But instead, man will do everything within his means to refuse to acknowledge his need to seek help. Yet the truth of God’s Word warns: “There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12) This is critically important because Matthew 7:13 tells us there is a broad way and a narrow way. The broad way is in yourself – depending on your own efforts to direct your life. This way is considered broad because man’s ego makes great room for it and many walk on this road. But the Bible says man’s way leads to destruction because we have a disease called sin. Notice the middle letter in the word sin is “I.”
Sin is a mighty foe becomes it deceives and distorts our view of direction in life. It makes us think we know where we are going when we are really lost. One writer I researched said, the first man Adam proved man is no match for sin and man’s way will end in death. He went on to say the Bible is full of such examples of men trying to find their way on their own: Samson found he couldn’t out muscle sin to find his way, Solomon found he could not outwit sin to find his way, Jonah found he couldn’t out run sin to find his way, David found he couldn’t out maneuver sin to find his way and Saul of Tarsus found he couldn’t out pious sin to find his way.
But there is good news for the directionally impaired man who is willing to acknowledge his need for direction concerning the way of life. The psalmist says: “Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in justice, and He teachers the humble His way.” (Psalm 25:9) The prophet Jeremiah knew his realized condition of directional impairment when he prayerfully acknowledged his need before the Lord and confessed: “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself; Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; Not with Thine anger, lest Thou bring me to nothing.” (Jeremiah 10:23-24) It is these two verses I’d like to focus on concerning the directionally impaired man.
Jeremiah says in verse 23 “I know” – The Hebrew word is “yada”. It is the same word used in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” It is a deeper than intellectual knowledge. It is a personal commitment – an intimate experience – it is the same word used in Genesis 4:1 for husband and wife – “Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth…” It implies bringing two together as one in a union, which is intended to be fruit producing. Jesus speaks of a similar union in John 15:16: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you.” And the Apostle Paul writes concerning this union: “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God.” (Romans 7:4) The focus on fruit bearing seems to be an important emphasis in Scripture.
Notice, Jeremiah’s fear in verse 24 was that he might be brought to nothing or be rendered fruitless. Wouldn’t it be horrifying to come to the end of your life and find you were on the wrong path – that your life was rendered fruitless from God’s perspective? Jeremiah understood without the Lord in and directing his life, he could do nothing – he would be brought to the end of his days with nothing to show from this union – in other words, his life would be fruitless. Jesus likewise reminded his followers in John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” Praise the Lord that Jeremiah believed this truth and acted in faith upon it. He understood man’s need to acknowledge and live in obedience to a way which was outside himself or his life would be brought to nothing. But like Jeremiah, do you know? Do you believe this truth that your way is not in yourself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross for payment of your sins - your directional impairment - and is the Lord being allowed to live His life in, through and for you?
If you do know these truth’s in a “yada” way, there are certain evidences that will be apparent in your life. First, YOU WILL BE SUBMISSIVE TO GOD’S WILL. Your will will be His will. His heart’s desire will be your heart’s desire. So ask, “Do I have a submissive spirit toward God’s will?” Or am I “recalculating” what the Lord tells me in His Word to do? The psalmist promises, “Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:5) It must not be my choice but God’s choice – not my will but God’s will. That was a wise answer of a good old Christian woman, when she was asked whether she would choose to live or to die. She said she had no choice in the matter, but that she left it with the Lord. “But”, said one, “suppose the Lord put it to your choice, which would you select? “Neither,” she replied; “I would ask him not to let me choose, but to choose for me so that it should be as he willed, not as I willed.”
On a deeper level, submissiveness to God’s will means I acknowledge I am a sinner (directional impaired) and need the Lord’s correction and on-going direction in my life to be fruit producing. The word “Correct” in verse 24 means to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish – “but with justice” – which implies that which is proper, fitting, measure to mold and shape your life for fruit production. To me it is significant Jeremiah, perhaps the most religious person of his day, asks the Lord first for correction. Upon understanding his realized condition his first request is “Correct me, O Lord” not correct the other person, not change the circumstance I am in right now but “Correct me, O Lord.” This is up close and personal. Are you up close and personal with the Lord today? Or are you just playing games; just going through the motions or living on past accomplishments? Are you willing to submit to the Lord’s chastening, discipline, instruction and admonishment as He determines it to be proper and fitting or are you overriding his direction?
The writer of Hebrews says: “and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him; for those whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12: 5-11) Being submissive to God’s will means God must be free to do as he pleases and we must trust he always does what is right knowing by faith He is Just; therefore, submit to his will, whatever He pleases to do.
Second, YOU WILL LIVE IN A STATE OF READINESS. Charles Spurgeon says, we must be ready to change our plans as God’s providence indicates that a change in plans would be right. He said, “We must avoid all positive resolutions about what we should do.” James says, “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” (James 4:13-17) It naturally follows that living in a state of readiness should also cause you to pray about everything. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:6, 7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Charles Spurgeon said, “The simplest thing, that is not prayed over, may have more evil in it than what appears to be the direst evil when once it has been brought to God in prayer.” I must hold on to all things loosely except for Christ. Past Chancellor of King’s College, Rev. Bob Cook said, “Don’t hold on to things so tightly that the Lord has to pry them out of your hand.” There is nothing permanent here for us. If you are a Christian, your home is in heaven – if your treasure is here – your heart will be also – Let Christ be your treasure - Let him have your heart. Therefore, live in a state of readiness and wait for God’s guidance as to what He would have me do. The Psalmist says, “Wait for the Lord; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14) Thus, if you know you should be living in a state of readiness are you doing it?
Finally, if I know based on a very personal and intimate level that a man’s way is not in himself; Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps, IT SHOULD GIVE ME CONFIDENCE IN THE PRESENT AND PEACE ABOUT THE FUTURE. Do you have confidence? Do you have peace about the future? Can you answer “yes” to both of those questions? Your confidence and your peace should be in the Lord. The writer of Proverbs says, “Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor the onslaught of the wicked when it comes. For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Proverbs 3:25-26) And Isaiah said, “The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4) My future is not in myself but in the Lord. Please don’t try to go it alone. You cannot foresee every circumstance – some circumstances may entirely alter our direction in life – there are unexpected difficulties – your health may fail – you may suffer the sudden loss of a love one or experience great financial loss. You may be experiencing that today. Life is truly a maze and as lambs we will get lost if we try to walk without a shepherd to lead us. Rebellion to acknowledge our directional impairment will bring us to nothing. God has a better plan and His plan for you will not fail.
So do you have God’s GPS device? It is called “Christ in you, the hope of Glory!” If you do have Christ in you, are you submissive to His will? Are you living in a state of readiness? Are you experiencing confidence in the present and do you have peace for the future? If not, the Lord says to you, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3) The wisest thing is to take all matters to the Lord and ask Him to direct you. The Scripture says it best: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6).
