He's not the youngest motorcycle rider in the pack, but he's got to be one of the most devoted. Take that away from him and you'd be taking away one of the great joys of his life. Problem: he's been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. And as that condition progresses, he can expect to begin to experience some disorientation, among other things. That's not a good thing for a fellow running around on his motorcycle. So he has installed a global positioning system on his bike which will always show him where he is going and where home is. That way, if one day he's out on his bike and forgets his way home, he'll be able to find his way home no matter where he goes.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "Discovering Your Global Positioning."
Being able to get home is one of the strongest drives and deepest needs in every human heart. For most people, you can only be away from home for so long before your deep longing for home kicks in. Occasionally, we'll hear about a child or even an older person with failing mental faculties who has wandered away from home and can't find their way back. We've got a word for that: they're "lost."
I find it interesting that "lost" is the word that God frequently uses in the Bible to describe us humans. For example, Jesus Christ announced His personal mission on earth this way: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). Spiritually, we're away from home and we don't know how to find home.
"Lost"- some years ago that was the name of that hit TV show that told the stories of plane crash survivors stranded on a strange island with no way to get home. In a way, that was a picture of all of us. "Lost" could be the title of a series based on our lives.
The exciting revelation in the Bible is we don't have to stay lost. We weren't put here to be lost, unable to find home. Home is a personal relationship with the God who made you. Having been made, in the Bible's words, "by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16), God is clearly the reason for our existence. He's the meaning for our life. But we've thought we could run our lives ourselves. So we've ended up acting in so many ways that have separated us from God; that have left us away from home - unable to find our way back.
Maybe you know this feeling of being lost on this planet, even if life is good. No real direction, no great purpose - wandering. Jesus has great news for you in our word for today from the Word of God. He wants us to be His sheep and He wants to be our Shepherd. In John 10, beginning with verse 3, He says, "He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out...He goes on ahead of them and His sheep follow Him...My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish." Talk about security - belonging to the God of the universe now and forever! And talk about meaning! Being led by the One who put you here!
But it cost the Shepherd everything for you to find home. He had to leave home and come to this earth where He died on a cross to pay the penalty for all our sinning. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). That is how precious you are to Him. That is how much He loves you. He died so you could live this life with Him in your heart and so you could be with Him forever in heaven.
There's a plan. There's a destiny for your life; something so much bigger than just the scattered pieces of the puzzle of your life. God has the top of the box that shows you how to put the pieces together. And Jesus is the only way you can have the God of heaven be your God. And you will belong to Him from the moment you tell Him, "Lord, I'm lost because I've done my life my way instead of Your way. I want that to change. You could forgive my sins because you died for them. I want to belong to You. I'm pinning all my hopes on You today."
There's more information about how to begin this awesome love relationship with God. It's at our website, ANewStory.com. I hope you'll check it out.
You couldn't find home, but home has come looking for you. His name is Jesus. Because of Him, you don't have to be "lost" one more day.