As a child of the sixties, I couldn’t help but like the music of The Beatles, especially their early music. I still like it when those songs come on the sixties channel. I like their music, but not much of their philosophy or lifestyle. George Harrison made a comment that speaks a great truth, though. He said, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”

Very early we begin asking children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My early list of occupations included cowboy, fireman, musician, professional athlete, and president of the United States. I did not or was not able to make any of those dreams come true. I did also think about becoming a preacher, but only came back to that goal after obeying the gospel while in the Air Force (which I entered hoping to be a career officer).

Life takes many twists and turns for all of us. Not many of us know in the beginning where we want to go so far as career is concerned.

But doesn’t it make a great difference when we know where we want to go? When we realize where we really want to go, we can focus and do those things necessary to get there. That is the reason that Paul reminds us: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). The reason to do this is clear: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4).

Since our focus is on heaven, we will “mortify” (put to death) those earthly things that keep us from reaching our destination (Colossians 3:5-8).

Our map to reach heaven is clear. Having obeyed the gospel of Christ, we will live each day striving to serve the Lord. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

No one is going to get to heaven accidentally. Are you doing what the Lord requires to arrive at the proper place you are going? What road are you on?