Last winter a 22-year-old medical student from Quebec, Canada, was driving to New Brunswick to spend the weekend with friends. Her car had a GPS (Global Positioning System), which she was using to help find her way. These systems are usually very helpful and dependable when you are driving in an area where you’ve never been before.
At one point the GPS directed her to take a shortcut. Like most of us wanting to finish our trip quickly, she decided to take it. However, this shortcut took her on a little-used road that soon became impassable with deep snow. Now she was stuck in the snow, lost and far from the main highway. But she did make the wise choice to stay with her car and not try to walk to find help.
Nothing was said in the newspaper article about this student praying to God, asking for His help, but hopefully she did. The article did say she was strong in character and that she did all the right things to survive. Not only did she stay with her car, but she also rationed the snacks she had with her. She had no idea how long she would be stuck there, and she said later that she expected to be there until spring.
Those of us who are trusting God’s Son, the Lord Jesus, as our Saviour know that we can turn to Him at any time for help. There are many Bible verses that instruct us to do this. Here are a few: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:11<<To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.>> God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)). “The angel of the Lord [encamps] round about them that fear Him, and [delivers] them” (Psalm 34:77The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. (Psalm 34:7)).
The student’s story has a happy ending. Three days later snowmobilers who happened to be traveling that way rescued her. Do you think she’ll be quick to take another shortcut in the future? I don’t think so. And there are no shortcuts to heaven. God’s plan of salvation says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me [Jesus]” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)).
You can trust what the Bible says, because God wrote it and what He says is always true.
ML-02/05/2012