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9. Orienteering

At the next campfire meeting, Dave had a small table by the campfire with two things on it.  The kids saw that the things were a piece of paper, and a plastic device with a round dial on it.  The kids were curious and asked Dave what the things on the table were.  Dave told them that the place device was a compass, and the piece of paper was a map.

The map was a special map called a topographic map.  This type of map shows a small area in detail.  Hills and valleys are shown by elevation lines, and creeks and rivers are accurately drawn on the map.  This map is used in the sport called orienteering.  In this sport each person or group of people is given a topographic map and a compass, and they are taught how to use them.  There is a destination on the other side of the woods, and the object is to use the map and compass to get to that destination. 

When the competition begins, the compass is used on the map to find the correct compass heading to get to the destination.  Then the compass is used to find the direction of north and then the correct compass heading to go toward the destination.

The person or the group must walk in that direction to get to their destination.  It sounds simple, but it is not!  The trees get in the way!  It is impossible to walk in a straight line in the woods, you must go around trees and you might have to find a place to cross a creek or small stream.  All these things keep you from going in a straight line.  Before you know it, you are lost and not even close to the destination.

The secret to orientation is to use landmarks!  If you are by yourself, you need to set your correct compass heading and look ahead for an unusual tree or large rock that is directly on the correct compass heading.  Then you simply walk to that landmark and take the same compass heading and pick another landmark directly ahead of you.  A person competing by themselves can get to the destination eventually by traveling short distances using landmarks.

If a group of people work together it is easier.  The person holding the compass and map sets the correct compass heading and then has another person in the group go ahead as far as they can see and shout at each other.  The person holding the compass yells at the person ahead to go to the left or right until they exactly lined up with the correct compass heading.  Then that person does not move until the rest of the group comes and joins that person.  Then they set the compass heading again and again send a person ahead to be their marker.  This method will also get them to their destination.

When they reach the destination, perhaps there will be a prize, or maybe there will be another map with another destination marked on it.  Eventually, if they keep going, they will get to the final destination and get the prize.

Orienteering is a lot like living the Christian life.  Everyone who is a believer in Jesus and has asked Jesus to forgive their sins and come into their life is on a journey that leads to heaven.  At the end of life on this earth the believer enters heaven, but each believer’s journey through this life is different.  God leads each of us through this life in a unique way and our map is the Bible!  Our compass is God’s Holy Spirit, who lives in every believer.  He guides believers through this life, if they let Him do it.  It is a life-long process. 

The Bible talks about this in Philippians 3:12-14:

I have not yet received all these things.  I have not yet reached my goal.  Christ Jesus took hold of me so that I could reach that goal.  So I keep pushing myself forward to reach it.  Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider that I have taken hold of it yet.  But here is the one thing I do.  I forget what is behind me.  I push hard toward what is ahead of me.  I push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize.  God has appointed me to win it.  The heavenly prize is Christ Jesus Himself.

Too many people ask Jesus to forgive them, and they think that there is nothing else to do.  God wants to make use of every day of life that He gives us on this earth!  God wants to make us more and more like Jesus as we go through this life on earth. 

Here is a good test: 

  • When someone asks you about your relationship with Jesus, do you go all the way back to the day when you asked Jesus to forgive you, and after that you have nothing else to add. 
  • Or when someone asks you about your relationship with Jesus, do you begin at the time when you asked Jesus into your life, and then go on and tell of all the things that Jesus has been teaching you since that time.

You need to use your map (the Bible) and your compass (God’s Holy Spirit) and start finding the path through life that God has chosen for you!  It is a great adventure!

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