The Compass Was Wrong

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Category: For Young Believers | Oct 1977

It was winter. The two hunters were comfortable and warm as they slept overnight in their wilderness cabin in northern British Columbia. The morning revealed a deep blanket of fresh snow, which gave the countryside an entirely different appearance from the night before. Standing in the doorway together they discussed their plans. "This is our direction", remarked the one, indicating with his finger. The other seemed uncertain. "My compass says we should go the opposite way", he answered. Both men were experienced in the ways of the wild, and finally they agreed to follow the compass. For more than an hour the two tramped through the deep snow before realizing that they were not only lost, but had headed in the wrong direction. They had been misled by the compass. An impossibility, some say, because the instrument is so carefully made and tested. But a later check revealed that it did have a defect. Two concerned hunters found their way back to their cabin safely, and as a result of their experience they were, no doubt, much wiser.

God has a compass for Christians. It is His word, the Bible. It will never lead a person astray. It is never wrong. We can trust it completely. We can rest our lives on it for eternity. It is infallible. Sir William Osler, once described as "the greatest physician in history", gave this advice to his medical students: "Begin the day with Christ and His prayer.... Learn to know your Bible.... its touch has still its ancient power...". The Bible is the Voice of God, which alone is able to reach dead souls and give them eternal life. We need to know our Bibles in the personal work of leading people to Christ. We must have confidence in its power over our own lives and the lives of others. The very power God used in creation is contained in every word of Scripture. The worlds were brought into existence by the word of God (Heb. 11:3). "For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psa. 33:9). Think of this other miracle of creation. "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Gen. 1:3). Instantly, light replaced the darkness.

According to records in China, the compass was in use 1800 years ago;

to be exact, 121 A.D. One of the first consisted of a magnetized needle floating on a piece of cork in a bowl of water. But sailors who did not have a compass carried birds aboard their ships. Sailors who were lost released the birds and hopefully followed them to land. We are thankful that we are not dependent on this method today. To say the least, it proved to be risky, and certainly inaccurate. Some Christians, however, use the Bible on a "hit and miss" basis, which is not a method to be imitated. Life is far too serious, it has too many uncertainties, dangers, problems, and temptations. The Bible must be used on a regular, active basis, if we are to get its full benefit. We need something dependable by which to steer accurately our "craft" (our lives) on the ocean of life. There are rocks to avoid; there are high seas to battle; there are safe harbours to find. We need the Bible as our compass. Let these Scriptures re-assure us of the absolute reliability of God's Book. The word of the Lord is RIGHT (Psa. 33:4); TRUE (Psa. 119:160); GOOD (Isa. 39:8); POWERFUL (Luke 4:32); LIVING (Heb. 4:12); PURE (Prov. 30:5). Do you have implicit trust in your Bible? Do you give it the value it deserves? It is light in a world of darkness; it is a living thing in a dead world. The word of God is eternal (1 Pet. 1:23); it is to be trusted (Psa. 119:42); it should be hidden in our hearts (Psa. 119:11); we should hear its voice (Jer. 17:20).

John, the apostle of love, lived in days similar to our own. The Bible was under attack and disbelieved. and Christians were forsaking the Faith. He left these words perhaps for you: "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one" (1 John 2:14).

It is important to build ourselves healthy bodies by good food, exercise, and plenty of rest; it is more important to apply these things to our spiritual lives by obeying the voice of our Master who said: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4).

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C. | Oct 1977
For Young Believers