GPS has changed me when I travel. It has also given me perspective on God’s plan for us. Like the GPS, God reveals our destination one screen at a time.
I grew up in an area where the roads were crisscross and not an engineered grid. So I only learned “go right” or “hang a left” or “turn at the gas station.” “Head South and then turn East” was a foreign language. Navigating cities was almost impossible. How did I spell “lost?” When someone directed me, “You can’t miss it.”
But now? With the screen on the dash, Ren drives with confidence. Just put in the destination and the anxiety, frustration, thumb-biting and lost time are long gone.
I think I could even make something clever out of “GPS.” Like, “God’s something or the other.”
But have you noticed? Our destination isn’t yet on the screen. There’s just enough info to get you to “take the next exit” or “at the stop sign in 13 miles” or “make a left turn at the traffic light.” And somehow, you’re not at all worried. At just the proper time there will be another screen with the info you then need to keep going. And then, when it is time, more. But you keep going knowing that in 31 or 275 miles you will get to that destination.
Would Jesus make a parable out of that? And leave it to us “with ears to hear” to “understand?”
What do we need for our “drive” today that we don’t know? “I don’t know how this is going to turn out. What will happen if… Why should I bother to… This hasn’t worked before. I’m not sure I can…” The Great Destinator has prepared an accurate screen for each of our concerns. We don’t quite need them yet.
Maybe today is not the “yet.” Let’s think together. What do you need to know for your “drive” today that you don’t know? You know you don’t “happen” to be where you are right now. You know our Caller has mapped out integrity and faithfulness and diligence. You know He directs us to clean hands and a pure heart and a tongue that utters no slander. You know He expects kindness, tender-heartedness and a forgiving attitude, resembling the forgiveness we have already received.
For our everyday “drive,” He shows us He cares for us like a tender-hearted father cares for his kids, like a mother who rejoices over the child she has born. When we are sick of it all because the burden of obeying weighs heavy, He invites us to come even closer, to cast all our cares on Him because He cares so much for us. When we are out there all alone and tempted to give up—even give up our life—He reminds us that what we are going through is not unique, that others have gone through it before, notably His Own dear Son Jesus. He reminds us He is faithful and will never let it be too much for us, and that a way to handle is it embedded with every burden.
My brother-in-law and I were once guests at a crazy, hilly golf course. On one hole he smacked a mighty drive. It caught a tree branch at the top of the hill and dropped straight down. We moaned his bad luck together. (Me not very sincerely.) When we got to the top, we saw that the green was right below the hill. All he had was short chip. On! If he hadn’t hit that branch, that ball would still be going. John’s first screen showed us the ball hitting the branch. His next one showed why it was good.
The sentence in the “Our Father” in the original Greek language really reads, “Show us this day our daily screen.” (Not really!) But “our daily bread” pretty well covers every part of our life, today. (Matthew 6:11) Have you ever noticed the scroll on each dash screen that says, “I give you your food at the proper time?” (Psalm 145:15) The One Who “prepares a table before you” (Psalm 23:5) is the same One who said, “your strength will equal your days.” (Deuteronomy 33:25)
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I grew up in an area where the roads were crisscross and not an engineered grid. So I only learned “go right” or “hang a left” or “turn at the gas station.” “Head South and then turn East” was a foreign language. Navigating cities was almost impossible. How did I spell “lost?” When someone directed me, “You can’t miss it.”
But now? With the screen on the dash, Ren drives with confidence. Just put in the destination and the anxiety, frustration, thumb-biting and lost time are long gone.
I think I could even make something clever out of “GPS.” Like, “God’s something or the other.”
But have you noticed? Our destination isn’t yet on the screen. There’s just enough info to get you to “take the next exit” or “at the stop sign in 13 miles” or “make a left turn at the traffic light.” And somehow, you’re not at all worried. At just the proper time there will be another screen with the info you then need to keep going. And then, when it is time, more. But you keep going knowing that in 31 or 275 miles you will get to that destination.
Would Jesus make a parable out of that? And leave it to us “with ears to hear” to “understand?”
What do we need for our “drive” today that we don’t know? “I don’t know how this is going to turn out. What will happen if… Why should I bother to… This hasn’t worked before. I’m not sure I can…” The Great Destinator has prepared an accurate screen for each of our concerns. We don’t quite need them yet.
Maybe today is not the “yet.” Let’s think together. What do you need to know for your “drive” today that you don’t know? You know you don’t “happen” to be where you are right now. You know our Caller has mapped out integrity and faithfulness and diligence. You know He directs us to clean hands and a pure heart and a tongue that utters no slander. You know He expects kindness, tender-heartedness and a forgiving attitude, resembling the forgiveness we have already received.
For our everyday “drive,” He shows us He cares for us like a tender-hearted father cares for his kids, like a mother who rejoices over the child she has born. When we are sick of it all because the burden of obeying weighs heavy, He invites us to come even closer, to cast all our cares on Him because He cares so much for us. When we are out there all alone and tempted to give up—even give up our life—He reminds us that what we are going through is not unique, that others have gone through it before, notably His Own dear Son Jesus. He reminds us He is faithful and will never let it be too much for us, and that a way to handle is it embedded with every burden.
My brother-in-law and I were once guests at a crazy, hilly golf course. On one hole he smacked a mighty drive. It caught a tree branch at the top of the hill and dropped straight down. We moaned his bad luck together. (Me not very sincerely.) When we got to the top, we saw that the green was right below the hill. All he had was short chip. On! If he hadn’t hit that branch, that ball would still be going. John’s first screen showed us the ball hitting the branch. His next one showed why it was good.
The sentence in the “Our Father” in the original Greek language really reads, “Show us this day our daily screen.” (Not really!) But “our daily bread” pretty well covers every part of our life, today. (Matthew 6:11) Have you ever noticed the scroll on each dash screen that says, “I give you your food at the proper time?” (Psalm 145:15) The One Who “prepares a table before you” (Psalm 23:5) is the same One who said, “your strength will equal your days.” (Deuteronomy 33:25)
The post God Reveals Destination One Screen at a Time appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...