The Lighthouse

We are as ships at sea. We travel in a wide expanse of territory with no paved pathway. On land we have highways and intersections. We have traffic lights, yield signs, one-way arrows, stops signs, and many other directional elements to insure we stay in sync with the by-ways so nicely arranged for drivers. Highway engineers did this all for us. On land we can use maps to locate our destination and follow the then selected routes to get there. Today with GPS we can input an address and like magic a voice will begin telling us the proper roads and turns to take to achieve our goal. Satellites in the sky provide the GPS data.
At sea we may have a destination but our map is more complicated and requires training. If a clear night we may be able to use the stars to navigate. In daylight we can judge direction by the sun's location and hours of daylight. If cloudy, dark and overcast, we may be at a loss, unless we have sophisticated GPS devices on board and the "sky-birds" to rely upon. Nearing shore, approaching a nearby landmass, there may be essential beacons for us to locate, the lighthouse, a welcoming display of light, a pattern of bright signals telling us, with the right reference book, just where we are and providing a point of entry to our final goal; if not our final goal at least telling us where we are.
For a believer, or those wanting to find their way, the Church is our lighthouse. There are many lighthouses from which to choose, or to see. They may be the welcoming beacon to a heavenly goal. Wherever we may be, wherever we travel, a church is not far away. We can find safety, comfort, shelter, awareness and knowledge at the lighthouse. We can be provided needed guidance to help us get from where we are to where we need to be. Taking the path suggested remains optional. It is the right path, but also an option. If we remain lost, or wandering, we know that is our choice. However there may be another lighthouse to visit just around the corner in case we change our mind. The doors to the lighthouse are always open. The keeper of the lighthouse loves everyone that enters.
Churches are God's lighthouses, the ministerial staff the keepers of the light, for a sea filled with non-believers and Christians, those with doubts and those with trust, providing access to the Lord and his safe harbor. A GPS can never fail you when you have the Lord as your lighthouse keeper. His "sky-bird", God's satellite, will always be there and can open up a pathway to his Kingdom. His Word is your GPS.