We were doing a complex cross-city journey. My wife was driving and decided to turn on maps. I hadn’t heard the nav-man for a while, and it was good to hear his voice again. But sad to say, some of his instructions were not followed. Yet he remained patient. I was expecting him to cry out, “Unbelievable! You’ve done it again. I told you to take the next left. Please, pay attention!” (Whether that was going on in the nav-man’s head, or mine, I won’t say.)

There is a voice that speaks to all men, that gives directions to the way of life. There is that heaven-sent gift of conscience that can warn of dangers ahead, but that is not it. There is that voice of creation that pours forth speech, that both a Creator made it all, and that someone must have meddled to spoil it all; but that is not it. It is the voice from God, of God, that strives with hearts to turn from darkness and to steer for life.

What a mystery then, that some choose to ignore the directions. More the mystery when all three voices are safe, and especially the third, which speaks with wisdom, passion and love. The voices of creation and conscience are impersonal – a bit like the nav-man’s – and can’t as it were, be grieved. But the Spirit can be, and no doubt is, when someone deliberately turns left when the Lord of Love says, ‘Turn right, and you will find life.’