Rev. Beverley Sproats, St. John’s Church, Yeadon, Thought for the Week for publication Thursday, July 10

I hope you enjoyed watching the Tour de France either live or on television recently as it passed through Yorkshire. It really did show off the glorious Yorkshire countryside at its very best in the sunshine. Well, I’m not much of a cyclist, but I like walking in the Dales. I enjoy the views and seeing wildlife.

Recently I walked up Simon’s Seat with a couple of friends. It was hard going on the uphill but we were rewarded with a great view at the top. On the way back down, we met a couple that were out walking but didn’t have a map with them. They had started at Burnsall and were trying to follow the river to Barden, but they’d taken a wrong turn and started up towards Simon’s Seat! We shared our map with them and they re-traced their steps and carried on in the right direction, albeit after a lengthy detour!

Well, there is no ‘ordnance survey map’ or ‘Google map’ for life, but Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”. Jesus came to show us the way to God. When we get to know Jesus through the Bible then we can get to know God and follow him where he leads.

When we go walking in the Dales without a map we can easily lose the path. And when we travel through life without following Jesus, we can lose our way and miss out on what God is calling us to.

When we follow God’s way, there is no guarantee that the path will be easy, just like it is hard work going up Simon’s Seat even if you know where you’re going. But we can trust that God, in his love for us, goes ahead of us and calls us on and has a path for us to follow so that we can get to know him more and more.