Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 10: Life's Map and Compass

Key Text

“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (WEB)


Lesson


What is the allure of backcountry travel and recreation? For many it is the unknown, the sense of facing uncertainty and overcoming. There is a challenge in going to an unfamiliar place and surviving. The challenge is thrilling and enlivening. There is always an inherent amount of risk. The key is keeping the level of risk manageable.

There are many tools used by outdoorsman to manage risk and overcome challenges. Wearing proper clothing, carrying shelter, using a water filter, and having a fire source are all essential, fundamental ways of overcoming obstacles. But perhaps the most fundamental and clearly necessary tools are the map and compass.

The map and compass are what make outdoor travel possible. They have been in use for thousands of years. They are still in use today, perhaps more than ever before. Today the map and compass may look different but are still used together in a digital form called GPS. There is a map on the screen and an electronic compass telling direction.

Map and compass are so fundamental for good reasons. They enable us to travel to a previously completely unknown destination and find our way as if we have been there a dozen times. A skilled navigator can even get completely lost in the wilderness and pinpoint their location on a paper map with observation of the surrounding area. Map and compass or GPS allow us to travel confidently into the unknown because we trust the information they provide to be correct and reliable.

Another word for trust is faith. Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith is trusting that the Map and Compass for our life are correct and reliable. When we read the Bible stories about God's faithfulness we can have trust or faith that his promises are reliable. The more we follow the paths and trails on a map, the more confident we become that the map and compass are trustworthy. As we walk the Christian path we learn from experience that God’s Word is faithful. 

As our faith grows, it becomes the assurance of things we hope for such as heaven and Christ’s soon return. As we experience God’s steadfastness to his followers our faith becomes the proof of things we cannot see such as God’s providence and protection.


Questions

Have you ever had to rely on a map and compass or GPS? If so, did you doubt their accuracy? Or did you doubt your ability to use them?

Have you ever doubted the reliability of God’s Word? Or maybe you doubted your ability to have faith in God’s Word?

Do you long to have the type of faith described in Hebrews 1 that gives hope for things not seen?

What can you do to improve your faith in a map and compass? What can you do to increase your faith in God and his Word?


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lessons 2: Rock Climbing and Prayer

Key Verse

“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2 KJV

Lesson

As you cling to the rock, sweat drips off your brow, your hands are getting slick and clammy. You breathe rapidly and you can feel your heart beating in your body. You are lead climbing, 75 feet off the ground and 6 feet past your last anchor. You are still a few feet from the next bolt. You know if you fall now it will be at least a 12-foot drop. But you’re not sure if you can hold on much longer. Then the doubts start to flash before your mind. Did you place that last quick-draw correctly? Did you back clip? Did you check to make sure it was bomber? Can your belayer even see you after that last roof? Does he even know what you are going through? Or is he down there not paying attention, distracted by his new girlfriend he brought along?

Sometimes in life, we go through similar situations. We struggle and struggle up the difficulties of life. Sometimes its fun. Other times it becomes real and serious, even dangerous. We work hard to create anchors in our life. We try to set them to catch us in case we slip. We wear our seatbelt. We have some money saved aside. We have some solid friends in case our relationships don’t work out. We assume our parents will always be there to support and help us. But can we always trust those anchors to be there?

What if our friends move away? What if we don’t have enough money for an emergency? What if our parents split up, or even die? Do we have a second back up? Are our anchors in life redundant? In some situations, they may be. But if we start to think about it we may realize they are not. When the going gets tough we may start to doubt that our anchors will hold up.

As Christians, we have another Anchor. Our anchor to the Rock that David speaks about in Psalms is the Word of God. It is there to assure us that God is real and who He claims to be. Just as important is our rope, our connection to the Anchor—prayer. This is how we stay connected. When the going gets rough and we can’t double check the anchor, we have prayer at our disposal. It is the life-link to God our Rock. We can know that our God is always listening, even if our earthly belayer gets distracted by their girlfriend or boyfriend.

Questions

How do you stay anchored to the Rock?

What is your favorite verse in the anchor (Word of God)?

Has prayer ever kept you connected when everything else has fallen away?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: Pexels via www.pixabay.com