During our last road trip to Sedona, we depended quite frequently on Karl's old Garmin GPS to steer us through unfamiliar cities and through the countryside. It's kind of reassuring to know something can see ahead, see the whole picture and direct us.
It occurred to me that spiritually we have an even better system. Psalm 48:14 says, "For such is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide, even to the end" (NIV). In Psalm 23, we are assured that our good Shepherd leads us "beside still waters" and "in paths of righteousness, for His name's sake". And we have this in 2 Corinthians 2:14: Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ..."
It is very, very reassuring to know He sees ahead and He sees the whole picture. I received this little parable some years ago. When we try to tell God exactly what our situation is, how He should answer our prayers and what is the best solution to our problems specifically, it's like a chipmunk on the ground trying to tell a giraffe what the situation is, and which way to go. Pretty silly!
Have you ever noticed when using GPS, that it never scolds you when you make a wrong turn, or even make a decision to go a different route than the way it is directing? It merely "recalculates" and continues to send you the next option. Sometimes, though, it gets quite insistent, saying, "When possible, make a U-turn".
Our Guide is patient with us too. When we have gotten off the path He has for us, He always has a way out. He is Creator God who can create Plan B (or C or Z, even). Even when we find ourselves stuck because we have stubbornly chosen our own directions, He is always able to lead us back to the right path. Sometimes, He can be pretty insistent about sending us messages, verses, memories, pictures, people speaking into our lives, and a whole host of other resources He has at His command to push or pull us back to where we should be. It's like the shepherd's staff with a hook at the end to draw the lamb back into line.
However, our GPS wasn't perfect. Occasionally, we were out of range and it had trouble connecting with a tower, and lost its signal. Sometimes, it didn't seem aware of construction ahead, and we had to make detours that we hadn't planned on. Sometimes its most direct route took us through undesirable areas, or country roads leading through multiple small communities with slow speed limits. Sometimes, its very first order was sending us in the exact wrong direction, and then in a moment it would figure it out and change its mind. Not exactly infallible.
But our Guide makes no mistakes. Even when we wonder what the heck He is up to, His guidance is never wrong. He never loses connection. If we follow, He always, always "leads us in triumph in Christ." His Scriptures and His Spirit within us give us direction. Sometimes, He speaks to us through people around us, even unlikely messengers.
Here are the lyrics of an old hymn written by Fanny Crosby, who became blind in her infancy. She wrote anywhere from 5500 to 9000 hymns, and many had such positive messages that it was hard to realize she couldn't see. This hymn is "All the Way My Savior Leads Me."
- All the way my Savior leads me,
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well;
For I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well. - All the way my Savior leads me,
Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
Feeds me with the living Bread.
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see;
Gushing from the Rock before me,
Lo! A spring of joy I see. - All the way my Savior leads me,
Oh, the fullness of His love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
In my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
Wings its flight to realms of day
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way;
This my song through endless ages:
Jesus led me all the way.
Trust our infinitely wise, infallible, omniscient God to lead you safely, even until the "Father's house above".
