Joe was an avid fisherman. Since he lived on the coast, he loved to fish in the Gulf of Mexico just off shore for all the good fishing he could find of the “deep sea” varieties. His boat, however, was not equipped with a radio or navigational equipment, so he had to fish at all times in sight of land.
One day he and a party went out a bit too far – out of sight from land. He knew where he was (he thought) though the day was overcast and directions were a bit confusing. At the close of day, he upped anchor and headed home. The men in the boat with him, however, let out a howl because each one thought he was going in the wrong direction. Joe searched in his tackle box and come up with his son’s compass. Looking at it closely in the gathering gloom, the compass said that west was in the direct opposite direction of everyone’s opinion. Thus the men howled even louder as Joe turned to starboard and headed for what he hoped was home.
Many thoughts raced through his mind as he continued on. Was the compass right? Were they going home or further out to sea? Would anybody ever find them? With each doubt, Joe shook it off and renewed his faith in the compass. Suddenly, he looked up to see the faint glow of the lights on shore. Heading straight in, the boat touched shore some 25 yards away from his trailer. They were safe at home.
That experience is a good illustration of trust in the face of human reason. God wants us all to “get home safely” when it comes to our souls, and He has given His spiritual compass to get us there. It is called the Bible.
As we float out on life’s sea, our friends and loved ones opinions on how to get home, but the compass must be followed at all costs (Psalm 119:145-147).
Out there on the sea, with all the people yelling out their opinions, the Bible may seem to fly in the face of all reason, but the wise person is he who will cast his faith in the Book Divine, and trust it in the dark. After a while, the light will break, and you will find that the grand old Book brought us safely home. And that is all that counts.
… Borrowed