Daily Devotions
Living By God's GPS
Reading for January 3rd: Genesis 9-12
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you."
Genesis 12:1
I can remember using maps! Can you remember that? It wasn't that long ago, was it?
When we moved to Atlanta someone gave me a map book of the city so I could drive to my Bible studies. The map book was huge. You would look up the name of the street in the index. It would give you a page number and coordinates on the page (i.e. "B-4") where you could try to figure out where to go. Of course, you had to figure out where you were in the map book (on another page in the map book!) and then find all the roads you needed to take to get you to where you wanted to go.
This method of finding your destination was not only difficult and tedious, it often led me down the wrong path. Suffice it to say I spent a lot of time flipping through the pages of my map book trying to figure out how to get to my destination! (Usually on the side of the road after taking wrong turns!)
Fortunately, I eventually was able to throw away the old map book after I discovered online maps! These utilities did all of the hard work for me and were much more accurate. I would simply print out the directions and I was on my way.
And then someone told me about GPS! What an amazing tool! It made my life so much easier! I would simply punch in the address and a voice would tell me exactly where to turn and when to turn! How great is that! I love GPS!
It seems that God acted as a sort of GPS navigator for Abraham on his journey to Canaan. God didn't tell him where he was going at the beginning of his journey. He wasn't given a map and told to figure out how to get there. It seems as if every day God would tell Abraham the next turn to make. Day by day, God gave Abraham directions that led him ultimately to the Promised Land.
We're not left to ourselves in our journey home either. When we try to find our own way, we make many wrong turns and end up lost (Prov 14:12; Jer 10:23). But if we will listen to God every day, he will lead us safely home (Isa 30:21; Rom 10:17; Jas 1:5; Psa 25:4-5; 73:23-24; Prov 3:5-6; Jn 10:3-4)
Father, teach me your way. I will walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.
