I have always been a map-loving gal, but I’ve appreciated the convenience of having a GPS in my car. Just type in your destination’s address, and it will take you there. Well, most of the time.
Our GPS has taken us on amazing wild goose chases. At times, when we’re in areas where we’re somewhat familiar with the roads, my husband and I will look at each other and say, “Where in the world is this thing taking us?” We’ve toured some interesting neighborhoods that way, some we’d rather not have visited.
Judy (as we’ve named our GPS) took us on one of those crazy journeys recently as my husband drove us through Georgia on our journey home from Florida. We’d planned to stop near Atlanta for an hour or so to visit with one of my friends.
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I punched in her address, and everything seemed fine as Judy recited the names of upcoming roads and where to turn. That is, until Judy’s instructions took us into some rough-looking neighborhoods.
I told my husband that couldn’t be right, so I pulled up maps on my cell phone and punched in the address. Those directions took us in the opposite direction—the right way to my friend’s house.
I thought about how cool it is to literally have the world at our fingertips. Need to find a restaurant on I-95 in South Carolina? Just search online. Need details about an event or concert? Ditto. A world of knowledge is just waiting on us anytime we need it. The internet can tell us what to do, where to go and how to get there.
It’s the same with God’s Word. If you’re feeling lost or floundering because you don’t know what to do, the instructions are all in the Bible.
Need encouragement or comfort? God has it all written out for you. Afraid? He has a verse about fear for every day of the year. Stuck in a bad situation and don’t see a way out? He promises to make a way.
But just like following the wrong directions our GPS gave us, if I hadn’t pulled out the maps app on my phone and asked for the right directions, we wouldn’t have found our destination.
And if we don’t pull God’s Word out, read it and put it to use, we’ve wasted the best resource ever. Unlike a take-them-on-a-wild-goose-chase GPS, God’s Word will never steer us in the wrong direction.
