(SPOILER ALERT – some of these following thoughts may appear in this Sunday’s sermon) I’m guessing that most of you readers remember the days of navigation pre-GPS. Street maps, road signs, and/or landmarks guided us to our destination. That, and vocalized directions from the person or business we were going to. Amusing colloquialisms come from those to wit: “well, I reckon it’s just five acres past old man Hopkin’s grain silo”, or if in New Jersey, “which exit”?

Road signs are laws of the road, which drivers these days don’t seem to notice or choose to ignore. In Ocala, the streets are numbered by quadrant, branching out from the center of town; for example, “SW 14^TH Ave.” gives you a ballpark idea of location. As this town continues to grow, we also grow frustrated when that number and designation changes as the road gets extended. “SW 112^TH St. Rd.” becomes a conundrum, even for the GPS in our vehicle.

The Law of our life’s road is preached about in the Sermon on the Mount. To the world’s dismay, and to those original hearers of this message, Christ does not dispose of the law, but adds to it. Lawbreakers are least in the kingdom of heaven. Thanks be to God that we are also guided by grace. The relationship with God Himself fulfills the law and the prophets, while inspiring and leading us to draw closer to Him. We internally scrutinize and are scrutinized, then liberated by Christ on the cross.

We don’t need road signs, GPS, or maps. Take the hand of our trailblazer. Let Jesus “take the wheel.” The joyous burden of finding our way becomes a great adventure in and with the faith of Christ Jesus, who has nothing but unconditional love for us.

Pastor Art