WALKING BACK TO THE RIGHT PATH

Towards the end of last summer my wife (Julie) and I, my two eldest daughters (Kimberley and Kara) and my daughter’s dog (Forest) went for a walk in Holt Country Park, which is about a 25 minute drive from where we live. Just to be clear when using the word “park”, it is really a huge area of woodlands and forest with pathways weaving in and out, not a recreational park where you could play football or such like.

It was a really hot day and great weather for walking (not that I participate in that too often) purely because the sun was out. We had packed some sandwiches to have a picnic when we arrived and Forest was very excited about the whole thing. I was kitted out in sturdy walking boots (yes people I actually took OFF my sandals!!!) and a pair of shorts.

Some of you will have been there and know there are 4 or 5 set walks that you can choose form all signposted with coloured arrows relevant to the length of walk you want to do, form half a mile up to about three or four miles. We decided we would do the long walk which took you round the outside of the “park” and was the three or four miles and the arrow colour as I recall was “yellow”.

So at around 12:30 after having some lunch together, we commenced our walk knowing exactly where we were going and knowing we had signposts all the way round, and that the walk would probably take around an hour and a half or so. We even hoped we may call in on a teaching colleague of Kimberley’s who lived on the outskirts of the “park” just to say hello.

Forest was loose running free and excited exploring every area we walked past as well as introducing himself to other dogs along the way. He is never great “on” a lead but off the lead he is fantastic and a real pleasure to take out. We met loads of people all taking one of the various walks and even met some people that we knew on the way. As the walk was the longest of the ones available, we cut in and out of woodlands and even crossed some fields, it was such a great time.

As we continued following our route we noticed less and less people were walking our way. We went through what I thought was some very strange pathways given that they were overgrown with head high plantation, just passable, if slightly difficult, and tearing at my exposed legs like you wouldn’t believe. After a while we came to some fields and could not find any signs to direct us as to which way we should go. In fact we then realised we hadn’t seen an arrow for some time, maybe even half an hour.

We split up a little at this point to travel down two path options until Kara called out that she had found a “yellow” arrow. So we all headed in her direction and indeed she had. So we were back on our journey once more heading in the right direction. We found a few more of these arrows and continued in the direction we were being led. However after another long period we had this “feeling” that we were not where we were supposed to be. However we came across a church ruins and walked around them and decided, based on the direction of the next yellow arrow we found, to cross over a stile and a field, which once we were in it found it contained 4 or 5 fully grown horses.

Things got a little interesting. Forest was placed on his lead and Julie decided she would walk him across the field. However the horses were very interested in him and as a consequence were following him and Julie very closely, a sensation my wife really did not like. So I was given the dog and she all but ran across the field to climb over the fence on the other side. My two daughters at this stage were behind me and the horses were now paying attention to Forest and me. The only thing I was sure of was that I did not want to get behind any of them so kept shooing them away. However the biggest one got ahead of us, stopped and kicked out his back legs, narrowly missing both Forest and me. At this point I got the girls to walk in front of me and just head off the field and then I continued to walk Forest on his lead towards the gate at the same time waving my spare arm to get the horses away and this seemed to work with Forest eventually diving under the gate and me pathetically climbing/falling over the top of it.

Shortly after our experience with the horses we found a couple walking through the fields coming towards us, clearly “professional” ramblers, with all the correct “gear” including an Ordinance Survey map and a compass. After exchanging some pleasantries I explained that we were taking the “yellow” Holt Country Park walk and that we appeared to have taken a wrong turning as we really couldn’t find where we were, and I asked if he could show me his map. That didn’t help me too much as it was full of lines and numbers and I couldn’t really read it properly like the one in my car. I asked him if he could show me where Holt Country Park was on his map. Oh dear!

According to the map and his estimate on miles to the inch we were about 3 miles outside of Holt Country Park. My first response was that I couldn’t believe it as we had followed the yellow arrows and I had walked through the park before and the arrows had always been accurate. He sort of smiled (well I think it was a smile) and informed me that the only “yellow” arrows around us were for National Walking and they were yellow on a black background. (Apparently they are National Trust pathways – not that I knew or know anything about that). He pointed us in the general direction of where Holt Country Park was but said he really didn’t know of pathways or walks ways to get us there.

So with no other real options we followed his guidance and continued walking. Now by this time I was getting VERY tired so was my wife and the girls and as much as Forest was enjoying himself he wasn’t running around as much as he first had been, a clear sign he wanted to rest. However with no real clue where we were except this very vague direction pointed out by a stranger we kept going. Eventually we got out of woods and fields and onto a road, which at best was a country lane and certainly not a major thoroughfare. We stood for a moment and purely based on the pointed finger from this rambler with the map we turned left and kept walking hoping to see a village sign or a road name or something that would tell us where we were. We eventually came across a building which had an address on it of “Lower Bodham”.

I tried calling my brother and his wife to try and help us by logging onto their PC and try and talk us out of our problem, we had mobile phones with gadgets on that could tell us where we were but not how to get to where we wanted to go. The only thing that seemed logical was to keep heading in the direction we were going, just press on regardless!!

Finally we reached the main road, the A148, and we knew where we were, still some 2 or 3 miles form where we wanted to be but finally we knew where we were going. Our next problem was walking along a major road which was very busy, with a dog, and no pedestrian pathway. Finally arriving at High Kelling my eldest daughter and I left my wife and my other daughter and the dog at a bus shelter, sitting down, and Kimberley and I continued the walk back to the car.

A little before 17:45 we arrived at the car, a little over five and a half hours after we had left the car park for our 90 min walk. What should have been about 3 miles or so turned into something around 11 miles.

Shattered, sore feet, breathless (that’s all me by the way) but greatly relived to be back in a relatively safe place. And only just in time as the Park gates were closing at 18:00 something we were not aware of or worried about when we left. We picked up Julie and Kara and of course Forest, headed home and did little more than collapse into chairs and baths and just simply chilled out for the rest of the evening.

So why have I relayed this? How many of you are already running the synergies that I am about to share? Some I am sure, but I am going for it anyway.

This Sunday just gone, (8^th January 2012), I reflected on that day, that journey, the decisions taken, the paths followed and the worries, and the elation of finally getting home. And I just thought that could so often be like the Christian walk, or at least how I and if truth be known I am sure, some of you make it into. I cannot be alone in wanting to strive to be the best I can be for God, and follow His leading and prompting in my life. I genuinely want to walk in the path that He has for me. But so many times I wander off of that path and get a little lost.

As I start out on my walk it’s really easy, just like the “yellow” arrows. I know where I am starting and I know where I need to end up. I even have my “map”. All 66 books of it in fact. For clarity I refer to The Bible. When I start out on my Spiritual walk I refer to its guidance constantly and I remain focused on wanting to move forward and seek after God.

But as we journey we get knocked off-line. We take a wrong turn, we take a poor decision and we step outside and away from the path that has been prepared for us to walk on. We allow other external factors to influence us and change our direction.

We even take our eyes off of the “yellow arrows” and see a “false” arrow that we believe to be correct that then takes us away from God. We are so sure that “we” know where we are going we do not even refer to our map to check we are still on the correct path, or we leave our map behind and don’t even take it on our continuing journey.

It’s so easy to do, and we do it so often. We truly know where we should be going and the path we should be on, but sometimes we have strayed so far from it we are really lost and don’t know where we should go or which way to turn, so stubbornly we put our head down and keep going in the direction we are heading.

It is at this point I hope that we receive renewed guidance. That we have a Christian friend or even a Christian stranger who we can ask for help, who might be willing to share his “map” with us, and remind us of what we really need. And if we are sensible we will ask that person where we are and where we need to go in order to get back onto the right path to head in the right direction for our final destiny, serving and seeking after our Heavenly Father.

And getting back on that pathway may still take a long time, it may not be an instant transition, but at least we now know where we are going, we are back heading in the right direction, and we simply then need to keep going.

And there is a sense of elation when we finally reach that point, where we are serving God as he has called us to do, we are in that place where we know He is right there with us and finally we have reached our journeys destination and we can grasp the destiny that God has for us.

All through scripture we can read of God providing guidance for us and His people:

Genesis 2 vs16 & 17

“You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die”

This is the first time God provides man some guidance for living their lives. We all know what man chose to do and the consequences of that. It was good advice that man chose to ignore

Exodus 13 vs. 21

“The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night”

Psalm 16 vs. 7 & 8

“I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me”

Psalm 23 vs. 3 & 4

“He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honour to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”

Psalm 32 vs. 8

“The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you”

Psalm 48 vs. 14

“For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die”

Psalm 119 vs. 104

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”

Isaiah 58 vs. 11a

“The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength”

Jeremiah 3 vs. 15 (when talking about Israel having gone off the rails a bit this promise was given)

“And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding”

Today we have our ministers, church leaders and teachers to help us in these areas.

John 16 vs. 13 (Jesus speaking about the Holy Spirit)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard”

Galatians 5 vs. 16

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves”

Galatians 6 vs. 1 (we are called to guide each other and show each other the true path when we have strayed)

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself”

Hebrews 12 vs. 12 & 13

“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong”

Revelation 7 vs. 17

“For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes”

So we have a promise and a choice.

The promise is that God will always be there to guide our way.

The choice is whether we want to listen to His guidance or not

Be encouraged, walk straight and true, and if you stubble, let those around you support you and lift you up once more and set your feet back onto the right path.

As always God Bless