Matthew Laker

Traditionally, a lighthouse would help warn of dangerous areas of travel for boats as well as serve as a navigational aid. In order to enter, engage and experience the life Jesus calls us to we need some navigational aids.

 

Just as we put faith in a chair when we sit down, we must put faith in Jesus to live our life.  The challenge is I can see the four legs of the chair that will hold me up.  That is not always the case with Jesus and yet, perhaps we are looking at the wrong things.

 

You can read about a few of my personal challenges of trusting Jesus in the daily rhythms of life here.

 

In this post, I want to share a few of my navigational life aids from my personal experiences that help me stay focused on the life Jesus calls me to.

 

1. Stay connected to the community of God.

 

This is in large, small and smaller settings.  The community of Jesus is meant to be a witness of God to us.  We were created to be in relationships and having a smaller community leads to a good life.  We need to seek out a small group of trusted believers to journey with us during every season we find ourselves in.

2. Spiritual disciplines

 

This encompasses a number of activities all with the purpose of leading us to Jesus.  They help to push out the noise of life and focus on Jesus.  For example, a regular time of meditation in the bible often yields greater growth in our life than just running to it when the crisis comes.

3. Serve

 

Finding a place to serve others helps to get your focus off of yourself in life.  Our life is often consumed with something we consider to be a big deal so having a place to serve helps us keep a bigger picture in mind.  It lets me interact with people who are on similar journeys in life. Serving has also been one of the avenues that God shapes and teaches me.

4. My wife.

 

This one could come under the community section and the smaller community, but it’s also a unique relationship you may or may not have. However, in my life, my wife helps and reminds me at times of God’s truth.  This is especially important when I have forgotten to look to Jesus.

 

Trusting Jesus is no simple matter and for many carries both a mystery and a practical element to it.  It is easy to say  “trust Jesus,” but letting go of fear can be easier said than done.  It is during prayer, I approach the throne of grace. There I call out to Jesus asking for grace and mercy to get through.

 

Hebrews 4:16 “Lets us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need”