The Man With The Pitcher, Not The Picture, Just The Pitcher Series

THE MAN WITH THE PITCHER, NOT THE PICTURE, JUST THE PITCHER

[1]. THE MESSAGE FROM PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

Who has read Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan? I love that book. Many decades ago, and all through the 1800s etc., nearly everyone read Pilgrim’s Progress, even non-Christians. Sometimes in adventure books there might be a map in the front of a book with the whole progress sketched out. We can read it and know what’s coming next. For Pilgrim that was not so. There was no map before the journey. He lived in the City of Destruction where he met Evangelist and this began his journey. He had many adventures, becoming saved and eventually entered the Celestial City. You will read of The Slough of Despond, of Apollyon, of Vanity Fair, of Doubting Castle, of the Delectable Mountains and many more and a whole host of characters. We may know Christian’s life (that was the Pilgrim’s name) well, but do we know ours?

[2]. LIFE’S ROAD MAP

When we set out on a journey like my wife and I did some years ago driving to Victoria from far north Queensland, we made extensive use of a road map. It was studied comprehensively before leaving. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a road map for life so we could just go from Step 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 and so on. Look at all the pitfalls that would be avoided. Somehow I think though, that would be making us like robots and God would never have us to be robots. I worked out the other day that I could have been worth more than 6000 million dollars if I knew 60 years ago what things to chase and where to invest, and that’s a problem we’d create I think, if we knew our life’s road map – we’d use it to satisfy ourselves, not promote God’s kingdom. Having enough to get by, with the Lord’s presence, is contentment. We have wills (desires, plans) for decision making, and priorities, and the capability to make intelligent decisions. We don’t have that map of life but God has given us the tools and I’ll mention those later on.

Just imagine if we had our plan for life and one entry told us not to be at a certain place on a certain day. Well we would be sure to avoid that, but where is the faith in going down that route? How would we be dependent on God? We would be no more that automatons – Yes, sir. No sir. Turn right when you reach the next set of traffic lights.

[3]. THE LORD’S GUIDANCE

One of the hardest aspects of living a Christian life is to know the guidance of God. I say that because I have fallen from the track many times and need the Lord to lift me back on the track. Some ministers speak on tips for guidance, and some act as if they have all the answers, but I am telling you, we do not have the answers. Yes, there are signposts and God-given resources but no one can say, “I know the whole way.” We are guided in the way but the way we do not know.

The disciple Thomas wanted an answer to that question; he wanted to know the way. The Lord did not tell him the way; instead he told him of the WAY. That is what it is all about. How can we walk in the way? Well, we follow the Leader of the way. That is the great Shepherd of the sheep who is The Way, and who leads us in the way and asks of us to follow. “Follow Me,” was his command. Jesus does not want us to map out our way but only to follow.

There is a restoration passage in Isaiah but it has application to all – {{Isaiah 30:18-21 “Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you for the LORD is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who long for Him. Isa 30:19 O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you. Isa 30:20 Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher, Isa 30:21 AND YOUR EARS WILL HEAR A WORD BEHIND YOU, “THIS IS THE WAY, WALK IN IT,” WHENEVER YOU TURN TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT.”}}

I won’t do the meaning to the Jews here, but want to take the last verse, {{“and your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way; walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”}} This is action at God’s direction. Left to our own devices we would walk to the left or the right and take devious turns and get nowhere but in a pool of misery. Thank God there is a voice behind us telling us, “This is the way,” once we start to turn off that correct way. He has not left us directionless.