Everybody occasionally needs some help with directions; a current map, a good GPS devise, a friend sharing directions or maybe some giant arrows would all be helpful.

I recently heard about some amazing 70 ft. concrete arrows that dot across the American landscape. It seems that back in 1924 the US Postal System was having difficulty getting the mail from one part of the country to the other.

Pilots needed some assistance with directions. There was little radio technology to help and so the US Postal System and the Air Force teamed up to build these massive arrows that could be easily seen from the air. They also built some beacon towers that operated gaslights that could be seen 10 miles away.

Those early “flying pony express riders” followed those beacon towers and concrete arrows as they crisscrossed the fifty states delivering the mail. That worked for letters and packages, but what about spiritual matters?

How do we navigate the spiritual dimension of our lives? What do we rely on for spiritual direction? Personally I would love it if God just strategically laid down some bright neon markers that glowed on cue and ensured that I only made right decisions. But He hasn’t done that.

But on second thought, in a way, He has already done that. In one of the best-loved psalms of all times (Psalm 23), He states unequivocally that He is committed to leading us in the paths of righteousness. Those spiritual markers exist, but how do they work?

Well, we need to consider the words of Ps. 119:105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.” When we regularly immerse ourselves in God’s word, we give the Holy Spirit the opportunity influence our thinking. When we pray diligently about a matter, we are inviting Christ to direct our choices. His word becomes a compass of sorts.

So as we journey through this week, we shouldn’t expect to see a massive arrow pointing us to wise decisions. Instead, let’s consult the scriptures every single day and watch for the “signs” that can help us move purposefully through life.

His lamp and His light will work much better than concrete arrows!