Recently, a speaker pointed out that God’s guidance in our lives can be compared to the GPS system in our cars. If the GPS tells you to turn right or left and you turn in the opposite direction, or keep going, the system doesn’t shut down or turn itself off. It quickly calculates a new route to your destination. The same is true of God, if we mess up, He never leaves us stranded. When Moses led the people out of Egypt, God didn’t give up on them…though it took them 40 years of wandering in the wilderness to finally reach the promised land.
What an interesting concept, I thought. We could also compare our journey with Jesus to a road trip…our final destination being heaven. We’ll find many detours, interesting places to stop, and many unexpected twists and turns along the way. Heartache, loss, discouragement, and sin often slow us down. Unlike the GPS though, that has been known to tell people to turn where there was no road, God will never lead us in a direction we cannot follow. He always goes before us to clear the way and keep us safe…as long as keep our eyes on Him and seek His will. Satan, who is always lurking, has placed many snares along our path because his goal is only to see us fail.
Road trips are expensive…and I don’t mean in dollars and cents. Sometimes the cost might mean giving up some things that only drag us down, such as pride, jealousy, and some people we used to call ‘friends.’ The closer we stay to Jesus and the closer we listen to His directions, the smoother our trip will be…and well worth the costs to get us there.
Though the trip to heaven is one-way and a personal journey for each of us, we never have to travel alone. We’ll encounter many other travelers along the way. Some will share their wisdom, help, and encouragement. Others might need help only we can give. There’s no time limit for our trip, so we can take time for those who have lost their way or need a helping hand.
There will be times when we find our pathway foggy and our visibility low. Maybe we’ll find ourselves on a long, dark stretch of highway with no other cars in sight…in the middle of nowhere it seems…and the next town is miles away. Our gas guage is nearing the empty mark, and doubts begin to cloud our thoughts. Questions about our wisdom, or our own strength in following this route, causes fear to take over… and our ability to survive becomes unclear…
Then, in the darkness, a sign appears: Gas, food and lodging, next exit.
God’s word comes as a promise in our time of despair, “I will never leave you or forsake you. Lo, I am with you always.”
God always provides a way to refuel, rewind, and start again. Through His words and drawing close to Him in prayer we can find new strength and determination…His mercies are new every morning. Lam. 3:23
As we continue our journey, refreshed and solid in our faith, we might see another sign that says: Next rest stop 156 miles. This reminds us to always be prepared and always in prayer. The road is long and never free of potholes, but Jesus tells us; “Follow me. My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29
Whether you are a seasoned traveler, or a new believer, buckle up! It’s going to be an interesting ride.
