Turning Around in Life like in the Woods

As I've said before, I grew up in a motorcycle family.  When I was a kid, my father and I would spend nearly every weekend burning gas in a two-wheeled machine in remote woods somewhere in Minnesota.  Although we would often ride for the fun of riding, I can not remember a single time when we rode through the woods without a destination in mind.

Whether it was a course, a fixed track, or just finding our way through the woods, the intent was always specific, the goal was always set and determined.  Often times, the only indication that we were on the right track were the small, bright orange arrows that were stapled to trees.  However, when speeding through the overgrown woodlands of Minnesota in the middle of summer, it can be all-too-easy to rush past the trail markers and quickly find oneself off the trail and lost.

In this case, there is one and only one surefire way to get back to the trail: turn around.  When riding in the middle of the woods this is an easy decision.  For if you do not turn around as soon as you realize that you are off the trail, you will most definitely find yourself lost and miles away from where you want to be in no time at all.  In fact, turning around under such circumstances seems not only reasonable but right.  Why shouldn't we think of our life in the same way?

The Word of God, the Bible, is a sort of trail map for life.  Not only is it useful for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but it also reveals that flaws in our lifestyle as well as giving guidance to how we should live.  In other words, life is like riding a motorcycle fullblast through the woods and the Word of God is the trail marker that keeps us on the track.  

Isn't it just like humanity to be so focused on getting through this world as fast or as successfully as possible that, without fail, we can blow right off the trail?  When this happens, like racing through the the woods on a motorcycle, turning around is the only answer to remedy the predicament.  This is what repentance is all about: turning around to get back on God's path.  Let us then look to the Word of God and keep our eyes fixed on the trail markers, but when we find ourselves lost, let us repent and turn around back to God as soon as possible!