The Key to Survival

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”  II Timothy 3:16-17

I read an article on line a few years ago about survival.  It’s major premise was that in a catastrophe, it is the folks who don’t panic who survive.  Those who give up and assume that there’s nothing they can do to help themselves are the ones most likely to perish.  So, what is the difference between the calm ones and the ones who panic?  According to the article, those who remain calm and level-headed are the ones who have made a choice to accept the scenario.  The others refuse to believe that what is happening is really happening.  This kind of reaction is due, in part, to a lack of critical thinking being taught in today’s educational environments, entitlement mentalities, and too much pampering of young minds.

What does an article on survival have to do with today’s selected verses?  Plenty.  God has given us His inspired word so that we can be prepared to face whatever obstacles are thrown in our paths.  If we are grounded in God’s word when we face a myriad of unforeseen events, reliance upon faith and the knowledge that God is in control gives us the strength to endure.

I read another article about a military pilot who’s jet was shot down over enemy territory.  He managed to bail out before the plane crashed and landed behind enemy lines.  His first initial reaction was an overwhelming fear, but as he gathered his senses, his survival training kicked in.  He sized up the situation, followed the steps that he had learned in basic training, and patiently waited for rescue.  He survived because he knew what to do.  His training had prepared him for just such a situation.

There are some extremely difficult situations that we go through from time to time.  As has been said many times, one never knows what tomorrow holds.  But we know that God is already there to help us.  God’s word is also like a roadmap showing us the direction to take in life.  As far as travel goes, today we have GPS in our cars and on our phones, and this technology is very helpful.  However, I still like to have a printed roadmap, just in case.  Sometimes a GPS device can be wrong.  I was trying to find a particular office one day and followed the directions provided, but they were completely in error.  I finally did find the place that I was looking for, but it was frustrating.  I’ve never found God’s word to be frustrating, convicting at times, but not frustrating.  The Bible is the most trusted source of enlightenment, wisdom, insight, correction, and comfort.  The time that we spend in God’s word is time well spent.