"Banjo Music"

     Recently I was trying to locate an address somewhere outside of the Petersburg, Tn. area.  I hang my head in shame to say I have become accustomed to our technology filled lives so I just picked up my phone and spoke the address and waited for the directions to be given to me.  No pulling out and unfolding and refolding maps that I had purchased or gotten free at my local gas station nor did I pull out the tried and true road atlas that I always kept tucked under the front seat.  Without any thought, I tapped the arrow on the screen of my phone that said start and listened to the voice as it directed my path.  Following it unerringly, I made each turn as I was directed.  After several such turns and maneuver I turned onto a road that looked very much like the wrong way.  You know the feeling, you’re not sure which way to go but you’re sure this isn’t it.  I proceeded farther into the country side, at first reassuring myself that it was beautiful scenery and I should enjoy myself.  Each turn seemed to have three things in common, that being they became less and less maintained, narrower, and from my point of view, farther from civilization.  As the road became what appeared to be a wagon trail I passed a road sign, that up to this point, I had only seen in movies.  It was just a piece of wood on a stake with a name in faded paint, just hammered in the ground.  I passed within a few feet of a deer that just stood and looked at me wondering who I was and why was I here for I know I was the first human he had ever encountered.  I expected any moment for the voice on my phone to say, “Take the next right by the boy playing the banjo.”  No offense to my banjo playing friends.  As I made my last turn it was rather erratic, I was trying to get my pocket knife out and open it, just to lay it on the seat next to me for reassurance.  As visions of search times giving up their two-week search for my missing body flashed through my mind I made one more turn and found myself on the main highway, that I had left a hundred and sixty- two new gray hairs ago.  I found the address shortly after this and returned never having to venture far from the main road.  I expected to hear a voice from my phone laughing and say, “Just kidding”.  I sure there was someone at Google that went home that day and said to his wife, “You won’t believe what I did to someone today!”  There are few things in this life that are unerring.  One of the things in life we can be sure of is the word of God.  As we try to navigate through this life there is nothing that should concern us more than our eternal destiny.  With so much at stake I cannot trust it to man not even to Google to help me with the directions I would take.  Paul says of the word, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2Tim 3:16-17).”  What a reassurance to know that God has provided me with all I need to be complete.  There will be those in your life that will try to convince you that God would have you to travel a path that is not found in his word.  The scriptures talk of those who call evil good and good evil.  Paul had strong words for such people in Galatians 1:8, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”  Paul was so adamant about no other gospel that he repeated the statement in the next verse.  Let the unerring word of God be your guide and for those traveling around Petersburg turn right by the kid playing the banjo, it leads to the main road.