How many times…

…have preachers used illustrations around the idea of being lost, needing to have a clear map for our lives, and the importance of knowing your destination?  One of my personal favourites is the account of Albert Einstein travelling on a train and being asked for his ticket by the guard. He started to pat every pocket and empty his wallet, all without success.  Seeing his mounting distress the guard assured him “Professor Einstein, it really doesn’t matter – we know who you are”.  Looking up, the great man replied ” young man, I know who I am – I just don’t know where I am going.”

This is probably the first and only time in my life I shall find myself in the same boat as the great Albert Einstein.  I was attending a meeting in Hertfordshire yesterday, and was convinced that it was taking place at a particular conference centre. Just to be on the safe side, I googled the post-code cited on my agenda and printed out the directions.  Towards the journey’s end I began to recognise landmarks, ignored my printed instructions and drove on into the conference centre. When I got there – there were two other conferences, but mine was nowhere in sight!  A phone call revealed that in fact it was taking place at a Bible college just 20 minutes away.  In disgust I scrumpled up my printed instructions and ploughed off in the direction of All Nations Christian College, arriving late.

This morning, when tidying out the car, I flattened out the scrumpled paper. Printed out on it were precise directions to…All Nations Christian College.

Oh dear…perhaps I should listen to my own sermons once in a while?