“One of my neighbors spends a lot of time traveling,” Stan mentioned one morning. “It seems like he has been most everywhere. A lot of the places he goes can be described as ‘adventure travel’.”
“In what way?” I asked.
“He likes to get off the beaten path and go places that the normal traveler doesn’t go. He says he gets to see and experience things that bring him closer to the people who live where he travels.”
“How does he know how to do that?” I asked. “Seems like that could be pretty hard to do on his own.”
“He doesn’t do it on his own,” Stan replied. “He always hires a local guide, someone who knows the local landscape and can take him where he wants to go to see and experience what he wants.”
“Again,” I said, “that seems like it could be kind of hard to find the right person for that.”
“Well,” Stan replied, “my neighbor says he spends a lot of time looking for the right person before he ever leaves on a trip. Also, he says he has been doing this for a long time and knows what to look for.”
“What he says about the way he travels,” Stan continued, “has a lot of similarities to a person’s faith walk.”
“In what way?” I asked.
“Having the Holy Spirit as the guide,” Stan replied. “The Holy Spirit certainly knows all of the local landscape and certainly knows how to lead. The biggest difference is that He doesn’t have to be hired. He’s a free gift as the third Person of the trinity to all who believe.”
“For me,” he continued, “The Holy Spirit knows everywhere to go to find the best experiences with God the Father in living this life I have been given to live.”
“Sounds kind of like having the Holy Spirit as my guide could lead to having the adventure with God that He intends.”
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “And I have had enough adventures on my own, traveling without the Holy Spirit, to last several lifetimes. I prefer having Him as my guide wherever I go, whatever I do!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be with you. John 14:16-17.
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13.
Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:22.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Acts of the Apostles 8:14.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for placing in me the Holy Spirit to guide me where you want me to be, doing what you have for me to do. Too often I choose not to be guided by Him because I choose to guide myself. I choose not to follow you, but I choose to lead myself. Please forgive that foolishness and please help me in following every step of your lead through the Holy Spirit so I go only where you intend, being who and doing what you have for me, so I will truly experience all you have for me. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you experienced being somewhere doing something that would have been much better if you had someone to guide you? If so, what was that like? The Holy Spirit is in believers to guide them in every aspect of their faith walk. Do you agree with that? Why or why not? How are you doing with being guided by Him? As well as you would like? If no, do you know how to be guided in that way?
Waiting for the Train 