Airports, hospitals and other assorted large buildings usually have a floorplan map conveniently placed at the entrance. And on that map of gates and rooms, there is that red dot at one end of an arrow; at the other end are the words “You are here”. In a confusing world, it is comforting to know where you are every now and then.
Those of us who mark the days passed with a big X-mark have the same experience. Behind today’s date is a string of days crossed off — finished. The current day stares at you and proclaims “You Are Here”. The days that lie ahead are clean on the sheet.
Whether from the perspective of geography or time, there is some security in knowing where you are. In front of the mall directory you know where you stand; the red dot indicates that. Looking at the calendar, you know where you are in the flow of time, that great leveler of humanity. Each of us is rich with space and time. Most of the time, at least. 
But when life becomes confusing. When pain tears us apart. When depression puts us on rock bottom. When failure strikes a low blow. A stroke renders us useless. Alzheimer’s takes away our memory. When death of a spouse or child comes suddenly. On those occasions, we have this haunting feeling: where in the world am l? What am I doing here? What kind of place is this? Where’s the light switch? The gyroscope inside that gives us a sense of balance and perspective goes haywire. We don’t even know what day it is. Or year. Time becomes more of an enemy than an ally. Where is that floorplan with the dot on it?
Faith – the kind the Bible keeps pointing to – has a lighthouse effect in those times and places of our lives when we seemed lost. Whether in the wilderness of failure and despair or in the far country away from home. You might want to check out the man in the middle of the Gospel, who seems to know where he is even though he didn’t have a place to call his own. Or look through the Book at the stories of the God who seems to keep going the second mile: in the Garden; on the Exodus; in the promised land. The star in the east. The cross on the hill. The empty tomb. Pentecost. Like red dots scattered across history, wherever God’s people are: “You are here, and I am with you.”