WHAT A JOURNEY

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his stems.            —Jeremiah 10:23.

The prophet here [in Jeremiah 10:23] turns to a figure of speech, one which appears in the Scriptures so frequently that it is not easy to remember that it is but a figure. Man is seen as a traveler making his difficult way from a past he can but imperfectly recollect into a future about which he knows nothing. And he cannot stay, but must each morning strike his moving tent and

journey on toward—and there is the heavy problem—toward what?

Tozer, A. W. 2015. “The set of the sail”

                                                        

Greetings,

I have the very first Bible that I owned as a new born Christian. It was given to me by Joe and Teddy Cuzzone a fellow employee at StoneCraft. I have the Bible in front of me right now, looking at it. As I look at it, it kind of looks like I  feel sometimes, it’s wrinkled, it is weathered on the edges of the pages,

and the pages themselves are slightly yellowed.

 

When I look inside of the cover of that Bible, I see that it’s been signed by

some of the important people that launched me on this journey that I’m

still on. I see the signatures of TD Hall, the evangelist preaching the night I was saved. Dr John Gill who explained to me the Plan of Salvation. Also, I see the signature Harold Epperson Pastor, under whose ministry, I began my disciple’s journey. Then there’s Joe and Teddy and their inscription and signature. And finally, two critical and important dates.     

        -Thursday, February 7, 1974. The day of my second birth

        -Sunday, March 3, 1974. My Baptism “Raised to walk in the new Life”

And following the Cuzzone gift of a Living Bible I have the Bible that was

given to me by my wife and children with their signatures. So now I have

 the roadmap for my journey. A road map that clearly delineates the fork

in the road. The path on the left; a journey WITHOUT CHRIST………….

the path on the right; a journey WITH CHRIST.

In the vagaries of my mind, I can see the record of my journey.  Mostly

shadows and silhouettes, but many are spotlighted bright and fully illuminated.  Some to my joy and some to my shame but all covered by the Grace of God.

 

The scriptures discuss all the elements of the straight and narrow path with great clarity. My minds review of my walk on that path is truly eye opening.  I see the curves and bumps on that path that I

experienced. I see the departures and returns to my chosen path. Most of my own making, some because of life’s circumstances and then those that were mine because of people I allowed or invited onto my path.  Both inside the Church and outside the Church.  It is with joy and celebration that I see those that helped strengthen my walk

by blocking detours, filling pot holes and straightening the dangerous curves. And that same review shows more clearly those that attempted to make their walk on their path become a detour of my journey.

 I am aware of my role…some to my joy some to my shame all under God’s Grace.

 

I retired from vocational ministry on December 31, 2023.  God is still leading me on the path he laid out more that

50 ½ years ago.

I have incorporated in my new life schedule more reading.  I truly love

to read. It is that expanded reading that motivated this blog.  I have an eclectic reading list, but that is for another time.

 

I recently purchased a book written by

J L Packer titled “Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs”.  I really am enjoying it and regret not having it earlier in my ministry. The topic of Theology is divided into 4 parts and 95 key words selected with a brief discussion, supported by scripture . I set it up as a daily reading and try to honor that scheduled. My regular readings for my journey are from Tozer, Barclay, Oswald and Wiersbe. When God has a lot of work to do on a soul he sends a lot of tools.

More to come. God is Good

Shalom