God is Like the GPS, but You Have Got to Move

by Ye Bao Stoa
​Member of the Mt. Airy church of Christ

​In the path of life we have many decisions to make, some trivial some important. As humans we can’t see the consequences of our choices , so in the times of life changing decisions, how we wish that we had a GPS to lead us to the right path. Now, the good news is we have one!
 
Exodus Chapter 13: 21-22 vividly illustrates “ By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on the way and by night, a pillar of fire to give them light. Neither the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” Yes God is our GPS! (Of course we shouldn’t expect God to lead us the same way He physically did for the Israelites in the Old Testament; but Psalms 119:105 also tells us that “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”)
 
When you use GPS, first step is to enter your destination, but if you don’t enter anything, it will not lead you anywhere. Prayer is the first thing to communicate with God about goals. We tell God our needs and see how He reveals the way. Psalm 32:8 “God says I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go,I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
 
Next, we got to move. If I turn on the GPS but just sit and not move, I won’t go anywhere. This is probably one of the hardest things for people to do. When we need to find a job, or a spouse and so on; just sitting around praying and waiting is not going to make it happen. We have to act. Such as searching for jobs/submitting résumés/preparing for interviews, going to bible studies/camps/gospel meetings to meet eligible Christians. We have to make an effort and can’t expect God to just carry us to the destination. Proverbs 21:25-26 “The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. All day long he craves and craves”
 
Sometimes, God will show us a direction that we don’t think makes sense; but we have to trust Him.
Remember in Exodus, when God lead the Israelites to the Red Sea with Egyptian army not far behind? I would imagine the Israelites asking God “Why did you lead us here, there is no road but an endless sea? And guess what? God opened the Red Sea right in front of their eyes! If the Israelites had just stayed put and didn’t move following the GPS (God) into the Red Sea. They wouldn't have been able to witness this miracle.
 
I remember when I was looking for a new job, I prayed and only searched for jobs in California because that is where I wanted to live; beautiful weather and supposedly lots of single Christians (I was single then) and opportunities. I got a few leads but nothing fruitful, meanwhile my friend told me about this job in Connecticut that required the exact skill set I had but I didn’t want to apply, because I was thinking “what’s in CT, so small and cold.” But God answered my prayers by blocking all the roads to CA, and 6 months passed, my friend told me again that job in CT was still available. I thought to myself I might as well give it try. Everything went smoothly and I got the job and moved to CT, where I met my future husband in church. Looking back, I see that CT was the path God directed me to, even though at the time it didn’t make sense or was what I wanted. Imagine if I didn’t follow God direction, I would have missed my now husband!
 
But what if I have made a lot of mistakes and wrong decisions in my life, is it too late? Am I doomed to be a failure? The answer is No. Again using the GPS is your example. if lost, just open the GPS and hear the delightful voice saying “the route is recalculating, and then it shows us a new route.
 
If a man made GPS is smart; how much more is God?
 
Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”