Global Positioning System.
Most of us wouldn’t know this acronym until 2008 when Apple added this feature to its iPhone. Today we depend on it for directions to appointments, restaurants, places to visit, and shop. We’ve abandoned the use of paper maps. At least many of us have. I still cling to my giant road atlas and foldout maps because they give me a birdseye view that electronic devices don’t provide. And, I’ve also had terrible experiences of being betrayed by GPS while trying to find a person’s home. Nothing is perfect.
I recently used my GPS to find a new hiking trail in the mountains. And I definitely use it when I venture down dirt roads in those mountains. Although I’ve learned it’s wise to take a screenshot of your route beforehand. The ridgeline can block your cell signal. In that case, you have to navigate as we did before GPS — use a compass and the sun.
When we drove to vacation destinations as a family, my dad would often take off into the wilds, so we weren’t on the highways. He navigated by the sun, at least when it was shining. If not, he seemed to have a built-in sense of direction that he followed. Since I was the map guide, I had to quickly find where we were on the map once we turned off the highway. It was my job to spot new roads that would get us to our destination. That challenge made me love maps.
I remembered these challenges the other day as I contemplated which turn on the path to take for my walk. Up the mountain or down by the rushing river. Through a forest or across an open field filled with wildflowers. Down an unknown dirt road (my favorite adventure) or stick to the pavement. Follow a deer trail into the woods (yes!) or stay on my well-worn path. If you’ve been reading these blogs regularly, you know I don’t always make the wisest choices. But each one has been an adventure with the Lord.
Every day we make decisions about the direction in which we are going. I make a new choice every time I put on my hiking shoes. Where do I want to spend an hour that will fill my spirit with peace, reflection, and fresh air?
Because most of us carry cell phones, we can pinpoint our location anywhere on the globe. We can even chart our progress along a woodland path to avoid getting lost in the maze of intersecting trails. But what inner compass do we have for charting our daily lives? Do you have a spiritual compass? If you do, how often do you check in with it to make sure you are on course?
Back in the days when I took cruises, I limited my choice of ships to those navigated by the Norwegians. International law requires that the captain chart the ship’s position a certain number of times a day. The Norwegians double the number of checks. This is especially important at night. We often navigate in the dark and don’t realize it. Do you use the Holy Spirit to provide light the same way you’d hold a flashlight or shine your headlights? At the end of the day, do you ask for His assessment of your day? Did you check your position with the Word before heading out, having a conversation, emailing, texting?
The previous blog focused on the seal or imprint of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. That seal is our GPS for navigating the world. Think about the tug you feel that makes you hesitate when you are about to say something that is not edifying; the regret you feel if you’ve inadvertently hurt someone; the scripture that comes to mind when you are praying for friends. You wouldn’t check your GPS before a trip and then turn it off while driving. The same is true of the Lord. It doesn’t bring Him delight to greet Him in the morning then forget about Him for the rest of the day. You never know when hazards will crop up on your daily path that you can’t see or expect.
You put gas in your car before you set out. Do your devotions fuel and set your spirit for the day ahead? Are you wearing the armor of God before you set out? Just like you put on appropriate hiking shoes, you can put on the armor of God and check in with Him.
Every day we choose paths — familiar paths or unfamiliar. And often, once down that path, it’s hard to turn around. But similar to your choices about hiking trails or ski runs, or books to enjoy, you make decisions about how much you include the Lord in your day. And that is the best way to determine how your day will turn out.
“I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
With Thee, O Father, as my harbour,
Thee, O Son, at my helm
Thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.”
The Valley of Vision pg. 207
A little history of GPS
The Department of Defense started the project in 1973. They launched their first satellite February 22, 1978. The full complement of satellites wasn’t complete until 1993. For more fascinating information go to: https://www.geotab.com/blog/what-is-gps/
