Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 71: The Trail of Life

“Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it.14 How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (WEB)




Nearly everyone enjoys a nice hike along a trail. It is a refreshing experience to walk close to nature and see and wander among the beauty. It is nice to get away from the frustration of traffic and the confines of walls and every day worries. Whether your hike is short or long it is likely to be memorable. On the trail, things tend to be simple. There is only one task, keep going along the predetermined route.

Hiking is not always easy. The trail may be uneven or filled with trip hazards like roots. It may be blocked by fallen trees, obscured by leaves or snow or poorly marked and difficult to follow. Your travel may be impeded by other creatures, slowed by sore feet, or completely halted by poor weather. It is not all rainbows and sunshine. If you have ever walked face first into a spider web or stepped in animal droppings than you know this well.

It is a mixed experience. You are likely to see scenes of wonder and beauty and even more likely to experience frustration. You may be fortunate to have a map showing the way, but it is likely to leave out some details. The trail may have easy sections that are straight and down hill. But there may be rocks that trip you.

The trail is a great example for our lives. Life is not a straight road but a trail that bends and turns when you least expect it. It is the narrow way Jesus spoke of that so accurately portrays a life dedicated to following God. As it says in the key text, the road to eternal death is easy and paved but goes nowhere. The narrow way is much more difficult but leads to eternal life! The Bible, like many maps, may leave out some details you wish were there. But we can rejoice that we have a trail to follow, however narrow or difficult. Thankfully, Jesus has gone ahead and trampled the thorns and moved the large boulders. He has cleared the trail for us and left a map in the Bible. No longer are we wondering in the pathless wilderness, we only have to keep going along the predetermined route.

Questions

What is a memorable trail you have hiked?
Why did Jesus say the way to destruction is broad?
What can we do when we are surprised by a turn in our life?
What can we do when the Bible seems not to tell us which way to turn?

Written by David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 40: Trail Markers

Key Verse"The Lord will guide you continually" Isaiah 58:11a KJV

Lesson

Trapper Ronald Woodcock had been lost for thirty days in the wilderness of Upper British Columbia. Tortuously he had fought his way through underbrush, following the banks of streams, hoping to find civilization. Suddenly he spied a rotting telegraph pole. "If I can only follow this old government trail, I'll make it!" For twenty-seven more days he searched for the packed earth of the trail, for bits of wire and old poles. Exhausted, clothes tattered, sick from an all-berry diet, flesh perforated with mosquito bites, he stumbled onto a dirt road, to passing motorists, help, and home.

Indians and early trappers were expert in marking trails. A tied clump of grass, a blazed tree, or a stack of rocks meant "You're on the trail." A bent clump of grass, a bent bush, or arrows on the ground made of sticks or stones meant "Turn this way."

God has not left His children to stumble through the maze of life with no trail markers. What joy it is in following the Christian way to suddenly recognize that God has sent clear guidance. Our heavenly Father may use a
Scripture verse or a word from one of His servants. But the Christian recognizes it. To him it says, "This is God's way of guiding me right now. He's going to help me through this wilderness." My Lord knows the way through the wilderness; All I have to do is follow.1

Questions

Have you ever felt lost before? What did you do?

Can you think of other promises in the Bible about how God will help his children?

What is the first thing you can do every time you feel lost?

Sources

1 Todd, Floyd, and Pauline Todd. "Trail Marker." Good Morning, Lord: Devotions for Campers. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1973. 1. Print.

Questions By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner