A group of Zoologists now believe that the phrase “as the crow flies” no longer means the shortest most direct route between two points. “They say it is likely that the crows and other diurnal birds choose AA-suggested routes even though it makes their journeys longer.” It seems that some birds are so rigorous in following the road network that they even fly around roundabouts, before leaving by the right exit. Fortunately for them, unlike us, they don’t have to pay road tax. “For long-distance navigation and for birds doing a journey for the first time, they will use their inbuilt compasses and take sun and star bearings. But, once homing pigeons have flown a journey more than once they home in on a habitual route, much as we do when driving or walking home from work.”
Oxford University animal behaviourists, led by Professor Guilford, are stunned by this discovery. They have conducted tests for over a decade by attaching tiny GPS tracking devices to the birds’ backs to track the routes, and found that most of them flew home down the A34 Oxford bypass. “As the crow flies” (e.g. in a straight line) it would take 2 miles to navigate the course, but as the pigeon flies along the main road it takes 6.7 miles.
One wonders what happened before man cluttered the landscape with roads; no doubt they followed coastlines, rivers and linear profiles that were obviously on route. However, it appears it is easier to follow a road rather than their instinct!
God’s guidance is often a hesitant subject to many Christians, and some wish there were roads to follow with traffic islands, traffic lights, T junctions and suitable signposted exits in pursuing His will. Unfortunately there is no A-Z map in God’s will, but there are five principles or signposts that help in determining the life-route we should take.
First – Precepts – God’s Word. Each day we rise and read His word, and in that daily reading find revelation inspired by the Holy Spirit that fastens onto our soul. We cannot shake off the anointed word once it penetrates our spirit. It speaks clearly as God’s voice, confirming His will for us.
Second – Prayer – God’s Ear. “Let your request be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6). Everything is wrought by prayer, which many Christians fail to grasp. When talking to God we change, He doesn’t. “Whatever a man prays for, he prays for a miracle. Every prayer reduces itself to this: ‘Great God grant that twice two be not four.’ “[1] Often in searching for God’s will, we will that it will not be so.
Third – Providence – God’s hand. The wise men visited Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh, just in time for Him to go into Egypt, and his parents to sell the goods in an embalming country, and live off the profit. That was not an accident, it was divine providence. The jigsaw pieces of apparent unrelated happening fitting together.
Fourth – Purity – God’s heart. Our motive has to be pure; to really want the dovecote of divine appointment. Often there are no short cuts to home. All the signposts have to be aligned, and whereas birds can simply follow the AA signs and prominent profiles, in our case they may be slightly more obscure, only discovered by diligent pursuit, for the large trees of self-will can shade the signposts of His directional love!
Fifth – Peace – God’s rest. The centre of the flame is God’s place of tranquility. We know we are in God’s will when peace pervades our decisions. Even if the route is unattractive the inner resolve rests on a certainty underwritten by the serenity of knowing.
The instinctive compass God has put within the Christian is to find His will, the rest is up them, for they know that living in the centre of that will brings contentment. Seeking His will through those five principles will help them reach home by the right route, perhaps not the shortest?
[1] Ivan Turgenev (1818–83) Russian novelist. Prayer
