Friday, March 24, 2017

Divine G.P.S.
By Karen D’Amore

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

The appointment was in an area that was unfamiliar to me. With the needed information stored in my I-phone, I hadn’t written down the business name, address or phone number. I was relying on my phone’s GPS to accurately guide me to my appointment.  Unfortunately, within ten miles of my appointment, I noticed that my phone had…died! Pulling to the side of the road, I fumbled feverishly with the phone. Repeatedly pushing every button, the screen remained black. I plugged the phone into the battery charger but still nothing! The phone was dead!

Overcome with a feeling of helplessness, I briefly panicked! I didn’t want to no-show or miss the important appointment but at that point, I was lost. I was in the middle of nowhere…with no idea where I was and no resource to direct me to my destination. With pay phones being extinct, I couldn’t even call for help. In a spirit of helplessness, I pleaded with God to revive my phone. Holding my breath while pushing the “on” button, I sighed with relief as a flicker of light emanated from the screen. The phone came back to life! With my phone/GPS back in operation, I resumed my travels. But to my dismay, a glitch in the GPS program directed me to an incorrect location, forcing me to call the business to seek better directions. Needless to say, I finally arrived at my appointment frazzled and frustrated, but enlightened by a valuable life lesson.

Though grateful for the technological conveniences of the smartphone, my utter dependence on this “man-powered” device was a sobering revelation. Without it, I was LOST...literally and figuratively! Though such “devices” are helpful tools when functioning properly,  they will never be 100% accurate nor reliable. I had been relying on an unreliable device to stay on course and guide me through daily life!

Before the invention of compasses, GPS units and smartphones, God created the North Star…a fixed and reliable navigational system. For centuries, it was the gauge for finding one’s way, establishing one’s bearings and redirecting one’s course when lost. As believers, God is our True North! Because He is nchangeable and eternally reliable, we need to trust and depend on Him to navigate life’s course. With the Bible as our compass, we can seek hope when we’re lost, establish our bearings when needing direction and determine The Way to navigate to our heavenly destination. Let’s remain anchored to the God Powered System, solely dependent and reliant on our Divine Guide…Protector…Savior!


GOING DEEPER:
1.  Who/what’s your navigator?

FURTHER READING:


Married to Dan, Karen, a retired police officer, currently works as a Manicurist at Craig Berns Salon and Foot Care Specialist at Shorehaven Senior Facility. She’s on the Oakwood Women’s Ministry Special Events planning team.