A Path To Nowhere

Recently, I watched a documentary series where people who survived life-threatening incidents narrated their ordeal. One of the stories shared stayed with me because it reminded me about life and the price Jesus paid to save the lost. I’ll try to summarise the story.

Valarie Cain, an ultrasound technologist at a local hospital, was driving home when she spotted a beautiful river. She loves rushing water, so she parked her car and ventured into the forest, hoping to get a closer look at the river. Valarie found a spot that looked like it had a path towards the river and wandered down that path. She thought she’d get to the river, sit down there for an hour or two and be on her way back home. But after fifteen minutes on this path, there was no sign of the river. She quickly realised she wasn’t on a path anymore but was wandering through the forest. She wanted to turn around and get back to her car, but she did not know what direction she had come from. She was lost.

Valarie tried to call for help through her cell phone, but unfortunately, there was no network coverage or service in the area. She spent the first night in the forest, enduring bugs and flies, but remained hopeful that she would find her way out. It was day two without food or water, and she felt weak. She had no clue where she was but was sure she’d find a road or a sign of human life somewhere. The more she wandered deep into the forest, the more it became apparent she was far from civilisation. Finally, she sees a trail in the woods. She followed it, and it led her to a body of water. Though this wasn’t the river she set out to find, she was glad she found water because she was exhausted from thirst. After five days in the woods, she got weaker, and her health deteriorated rapidly. Valerie began experiencing hallucinations and slipped in and out of consciousness. As she fell in and out of consciousness, she saw two men across the river who turned out to be forest workers. She mustered every strength within her and yelled out for help. They noticed and came to her aid. She was finally rescued and reunited with her family.

Listening to this story, I couldn’t help but think about the despair and fear of being lost in a vast forest with no food, water, warmth or shelter and knowing that if no one sees or helps you, you’d probably die. I want to draw your mind back to the beginning of her story; she did not set out to be lost but was searching for the beautiful river she saw. She found what she believed was a path to the river, and it led her nowhere.

Due to our Adamic nature, we are always in search of something. We constantly search for something beautiful, worthy, fulfilling, powerful, peaceful and happy. Unfortunately, many end up lost as an unintended consequence. We walk through paths our parents, friends, and society tell us will lead to a beautiful place but end up in despair, desperation and pain. Like Valarie, some of us have gone too far down our chosen path. We are too deep into this vast forest and cannot find our way out. We can’t call for help because it is beyond our reach—those who genuinely want to help us do not know where to start or what to do. We are exhausted from our journey and are in the final stages, slipping in and out of unconsciousness as death looms.

Some do not know they are lost; they still think the path they are walking will lead them to a beautiful and happy place. But, unfortunately, the nature of sin we inherited (Psalm 51:5) is in a constant battle to lead us astray even without our knowledge. Valerie was lost in the woods even before she realised she was lost. So is our state; we were in sin before we realised and acknowledged we were in sin. That’s why God first loved us before we loved Him (1 John 4:10). He reached out to us in our lost state and wants to take us down the path that leads to life.

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. –Proverbs 14:12, NKJV

The path of sin leads to death and begins with a thought and a corresponding action that appears right or good. Our flesh doesn’t care about anything else but pleasure. It wants more of anything that brings pleasure. For instance, you could take opioids to manage acute pain. You’d experience short-term relief and get a powerful sense of well-being. However, the desire for this good feeling can lead to increased dosing and dependence on opioids resulting in addiction. You go from fighting pain to fighting for your life.

Valerie went from searching for a beautiful river to searching for a way home and fighting to stay alive. So many of us are searching for a place we can call home, a place of relief, peace and joy. We have realised we are weak, and the longer we stay trapped in this vast forest, the less chance we have coming out alive. I have good news for you, Jesus died to save those lost in sin. He did not stop there; He also came to lead us to and through the path that leads to life. The leadership of Jesus doesn’t mean that you may not experience the harsh winds, bugs and unpleasant conditions of the forest or life, but that He will be with you through the journey, and the end of that journey is life.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16:11, NIV

The message of Easter is a message of redemption and salvation. Jesus rescued us from death to a path that leads to life. He did this through His death and resurrection on the cross. The gruelling torture of crucifixion is too much of a price paid for us to be lost and wander in despair like those without hope. The devil and his angels have no hope, so they want to see you live in hopelessness. The momentary relief or pleasure you get from drinking the waters of sin is a ploy to keep you on the path of sin, and the devil knows it leads nowhere.

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. –2 Timothy 1:9-10,NLT

The message I want you to take from this season is that through God’s help, you can retrace your steps, defeat any form of addiction, get out of retrogressive relationships, be free from depression, and triumph over sin. No matter how far you think you have gone down the path that leads nowhere, God can and is ready to redeem you. Let God lead you, embrace and accept His leadership and choose the path that leads to life. The path that leads nowhere leads somewhere—death. Jesus defeated death and gave us life. Happy Easter!