In the early years of instrument flying, the only radio navigation tool available was the Automatic Direction Finder, or ADF. It's still in use, though it's been largely supplanted by more modern devices. The ADF simply tells the pilot the direction a signal is coming from, so that he can use any radio station as a beacon to home in on. This works fine as long as he's flying toward the station, but if he tries to track by the ADF while flying away from the station, an interesting thing happens. A crosswind can blow him far off course, but he'll never know it, because the ADF will still show the station straight behind his tail. He can swing around in a great, wide curve all the way around his radio beacon, thinking he's going straight away on course.
A person's relationship with Jesus Christ is like this. When we accept Him as Lord of our lives, He expects our full attention. "Come, follow me," He says. (Matthew 4:19) How often we turn toward worldly goals, thinking that we can strive toward them while using Him as our reference point, looking over our shoulder to make sure He's still there behind us! This happens with the best of intentions, our other goals seemingly desirable, noble and important. No matter how important or good something may be in itself, it is always a sin to desire it ahead of following the will of God. If we try to use Christ as a beacon behind us while we pursue wealth, recognition, power, or pleasure, the winds of this world will blow us perpetually off course. We may never reach these illusory goals, but we will certainly put more distance between ourselves and Him.
Jesus spoke of this in the Parable of the Sower. "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." (Luke 8:14)
Today, let us renew our resolve to put Christ first in our lives always. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2a) Let us pray that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to answer Him with the words of the hymn: "Lord, we are able; our spirits are Thine. Remold and make us, like Thee divine. Thy guiding radiance above us shall be a beacon to God, to love and loyalty."