Following Directions

The other day, my brother and I rode our bikes to a place we had both been to before via a different route than either of us had ever taken. Though familiar with our destination, neither of us were familiar with the route, which included several turns we could have easily missed. However, to help us navigate to our destination, I got directions from Google Maps on my phone, and I had my phone give me those directions through my headphones. When we approached a turn, my phone would tell me about it, and I would relay that information to my brother, who would then follow me around the turn. As I followed the directions and my brother followed me, we both got to our destination on time.

This is how it works in the church. Church leaders follow the Spirit, and we follow our church leaders. Of course, we can follow the Spirit directly (My brother has a phone, too.), but we sometimes find that challenging. Sometimes, the still, small voice has a hard time getting through the noise of the wind and traffic. At those times, it's a blessing to have leaders who know well what the Spirit's voice sounds like and are listening carefully.

This weekend (and last Saturday), some of our church leaders will speak to us (and/or have spoken to us). Now it is up to us to watch and listen carefully so we can follow their directions and avoid getting lost on our way to our eternal destination.