It was January of 1990, I was with a group of friends traveling to Hong Kong and then onto China. Contacts in Hong Kong greeted us at the airport and helped us get to our place of lodging. We were staying the night in the Fanling region of the city. Some of the group were in house unit 658 and the rest of us were in 612, they were not far from each other. The housing units were in clusters of circles with a small courtyard in the middle of each circle of houses. From unit 612, where I was staying getting to 658 was a simple path of walking across the center court, going through the yard of the end house, which brought you to the next circle of houses, you turned to the right and there was unit 658.
That evening my part of the group left early to meet with the rest at 658 while I remained to clean up. Confident of the direction I left 612, crossed the green space and entered into the yard of the end house. I exited the back of the yard, turned right and looked up, the unit number was in the 640’s. I was in the wrong circle of houses. Somewhere in the simple process I had gone the wrong direction. I retraced my steps to get back into the 610 sphere of houses, only to find that I was in the 630 circle of houses. Going through another yard brought me into the 590’s.
By now it was dark, a misty haze was settling over the area, it was drizzling and I was getting wet. Worse of all I realized I was lost. Now I knew that where I was going was a wonderful place. I knew that others would be there, whose fellowship I could enjoy. I knew that the warmth of a building was better than the misery of being outside. Yet in spite of all this knowledge I was lost. Worst of all I realized that even if I found someone to get directions from, all the people in the area spoke Cantonese, I only spoke English. The houses were now like a confusing maze to me. In desperation I called out to God, that He would help me.
As I turned around a neatly bearded man with a tall stature approached, in a British accent he asked if I needed help, after which he lead me directly to unit 658. Once there I enjoyed a great time of fellowship, prayer, sharing of testimonies and sensing God.
Going back would be easy I’d just go with the rest of the group, besides, by know I was also refreshed in the directions. However, in a unique sequence of events, everyone from my unit left early as I stayed longer to pray with another person. As I ventured, out retracing my “proper steps” I came right up to 612A and 612B but, in no way could I find unit 612. I did remember someone saying that in an afterthought of construction 612 was not alongside 612A or 612B, which I needed. As much as I retraced my steps, looked around and searched, I found that again I was lost. Again I prayed and this time God sent a lady who spoke perfect English, she easily guided to the right location.
This Christmas season we might ask, “Why was Jesus born”, or “Why did God come to earth in the form of a man?” Just as I was lost and in need of a guide, so too all of mankind, in a sense, is lost. We know that we are in some form of darkness, we know that there can be something good ahead of us, we just don’t know how to find it. We are in need of someone who can speak our language, someone who actually knows the way to get there, someone who will take us by the hand and lead us.
In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus is the one who came to help us in our lost and confused state. To find or obtain a true relationship with God by our own ability would be too difficult. So God came down from Heaven to guide us. Then, in a similar way it is not good enough that we get the directions once and then I could be on my own without help. We need to consistently walk with Jesus that He would be guiding us every step of the way.
Let’s take a moment to ask Jesus Christ to guide ourselves into a closeness with God the Father and to help you in every aspect of your life. Then thank Him for the help that He will give to you.
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