If we’re not sure where we are going, look to the Lord – our shepherd – for help

ALBERT Einstein climbed on board a train in Princeton, New Jersey. Having found his seat he began to search for his ticket. He could not find it anywhere. He frantically turned out his pockets without success. The ticket collector was reassuring. With his mass of hair and large moustache Einstein was a familiar figure. The conductor was prepared to trust him, believing that he had bought a ticket for his journey.

Einstein was not reassured. He continued his search for the missing ticket. On returning the conductor found the eminent physicist on his knees searching under his seat. “Professor Einstein”, said the conductor, “I really don’t need to see your ticket.”. Einstein looked and replied, “You don’t understand. I need the ticket because I don’t know where I’m going”.

If you, like me, have wandered into a room wondering what you came to do; if you have put the phone down and then vaguely tried to recall the conversation you have just had, I hope you find comfort in this story. Knowing that one of history’s greatest minds could forget where he was going is strangely reassuring. Maybe there is hope for us yet.

Train journeys aside there are times when feelings of uncertainty and confusion can take hold of us. The writer of Psalm 8 contemplates the stars. Below the vast canopy of the heavens he feels isolated and alone. “What is man?” is the question he poses.

We don’t have to go star-gazing to feel insignificant. Letters from businesses that reduce us to reference numbers and phone messages that repeatedly say, “Your call is very important to us” without ever letting us speaking to a real person can do the job just as well.

The Psalmist however goes beyond his question and reflects that in the vast and apparently impersonal world he is of value to God. The same writer wrote the best-known psalm of all in which he declares confidently, “The Lord is my Shepherd”. With such knowledge we need never be concerned about the direction of our lives. Whether we have a train ticket or not.