LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN

Pastor Larry Gatlin, S. Oregon

 

Life as a Christian is a wonderful path that leads to an awesome relationship with a loving heavenly Father. Just as in hiking, bicycling, or any other outdoor adventure there will be times when the terrain is level, times when it is bumpy, times when you walk through valleys, and times when you’ll be on top of the world.

    However if you are properly equipped you’ll be able to navigate the path and reach your determined destination without too many obstacles. Notice I said without too many obstacles. I didn’t say that there wouldn’t be some.

    Several years ago a friend and I thought that we would hike into a remote lake in South Central Oregon near “Fort Klamath”. We reached the trailhead about 1:00 pm and felt that we had plenty of time to reach the first of two lakes we were going to visit. It was mid-July and the weather traveling from Springfield Oregon to the trailhead was beautiful. That is until we reached the halfway point to the first lake. Suddenly we found ourselves trying to navigate through snow that was at times waist deep. We pressed forward for about an hour and finally concluded that we weren’t going to make it into the lakes this trip. Even though it was mid-summer and at the lower elevations it was normal temperatures, in the shade of the high mountain trails the snow hadn’t yet completely melted. We thought before the trip started that we had planed everything well but we hadn’t counted on the snow still blocking our path. Finally we felt that we had to return to the trailhead and try this hike another time.

    We got back to the trailhead just as it was getting dark. We started a fire, set up our tent, and fixed a great meal of dehydrated noodles, eggs, coffee, and fresh water. Finally it was time to turn in. We got in bed and in the middle of the night I woke up freezing cold. You guessed it, I hadn’t taken my heavy sleeping bag. I had thought that it might be too heavy to carry so I left it at home. It’s a good thing that we didn’t make it to the lake or I’d have frozen.

    The next morning we got up, broke camp and headed for Fort Klamath. We found a nice little café there and filled up on eggs and pancakes. It was about halfway to town though that it dawned on me, “WOW” I could have gotten up and started the truck and got warmed by the heater. It was a hard lesson to learn, but one I’ve never forgotten.

    As a Christian we have been given a great road map and guide for survival on our pathway. It is Gods Word for us, the Bible. It is full of pertinent and invaluable directions for living successful Christian lives. But just like my great adventure into the high country of Oregon we must take the time to study, prepare and become intimately involved in Gods Word. Without studying the Bible we’ll find that life is full of unwanted and expected drifts of obstacles. We’ll have a great deal more difficulty reaching our destination, eternity with Christ our Lord.

    The Psalmist proclaims that the Word of God is our guide on this pathway to eternity.                                                                                                

 

 Ps 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  (NKJV)

 

    Let Gods Word be your light and direct you in your journey through life. When you do you’ll never take a path that isn’t free and clear from the unthawed winter’s snowfall.

 

Pastor Larry