Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.  A few years ago, when I was President of Texas A&M University, I had the honor and privilege of touring the Panama Canal.  I was the guest of one of our graduates who was the leader in charge of the whole Panama Canal.  The control center looked much like the Johnson Space Center Main Control in Houston.  I got to watch ships on the monitors as they made their way through the whole length of the canal, as well go out and see a few of them in the locks going from one end to the other.  While that was fascinating and almost unbelievable, the navigator of each ship through the canal was what surprised me.  When a ship came to the entrance of the canal, the captain gave up all control to a Panama Canal Pilot who guided the ship along with its own captain through the entire length to prevent the ship from drifting right or left and wrecking.  The captain of the ship was there but the pilot of the canal was in charge and directing all the turns.

This real-life illustration should serve to remind us that we should give up control to a Pilot and Captain who will keep us from drifting off course. One who lead us safely through the canals and locks of life.  We begin drifting when we start skipping church and pursuing other interests and worldly activities.  When we begin to neglect God’s Word and time in prayer, we are opening ourselves to drift away from the straight path.  A fading prayer life and neglected Bible study keep us from hearing the words, “This is the way, walk in it.”  Life is filled with narrow canals to navigate and we often do not know whether to turn to the right or the left.  We need to learn to be the copilot, let our ears listen and make God the pilot.  He is the only One who can navigate us safely through.  As you lead, do you obey what your ears are hearing from God’s Word and the Holy Spirit or do you just try to navigate all by yourself?  It is not like Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, just take it.”  Our canal in life and those we are leading in our ship need to yield to the one Pilot who knows the way through to the other side.