Is God Like GPS?
We needed directions to a church building that was 100 miles away. I reached for my phone. I plugged the address into my Waze app. I hit “Go now.”
I had options with the app. I could look at the overview. I could see various routes. I could share my drive. I could get turn-by-turn directions.
This is how I want God to work, too.
But does He?
God Directs One Turn at a Time
In everyday life, I’d like objective evaluations for each option. I’d like to determine who will be with me at each stop along the way. I’d like to see every step-by-step direction in advance so I could adequately prepare.
I admit I’m a little uncomfortable not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
I’d like to see my whole life at once. (Or at least I think I would.)
But this is not how God works. No play-by-play is given. It’s not what He promises us.
Instead of working like the GPS on our phones, God has promised us something better.
Today Is Where God Is
God promises He’ll be with us right now. Today. This day, every day, right here.
It’s how He traveled with the Hebrew people, leading them out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the promised land of Canaan.
- With a cloud by day and with fire by night, He gave them directions one day at a time.
- With manna for the day and not for the week, He fed them daily when no other food was available.
- With today’s shoes on their feet and shirts on their backs, He never let their clothing wear out for 40 years.
He wanted their attention in today.
God wants our attention in today, too.
Today is where God is. It’s where His provisions are. It’s where He tells us to wait on Him (Matthew 6:34), to seek His presence (1 Chronicles 16:11), to find our joy (Psalm 16:11).
Today is where our assignment is (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Today’s work is what we are to do.
Does that mean we don’t remember the past or we don’t plan for tomorrow? No, God commands those things as well. They are important.
- He wants us to recall His past deeds of faithfulness.
- He wants us to look ahead with hope for the good things He has planned.
But the past and the future aren’t to dominate our present.
If today is where God lives with us, this is where we need to dwell, too.
Re-center on God in This Day
On our way to the church building using our phone GPS, I pinched out the screen so I could see the roads ahead. The app was now showing Interstate 65 as orange, which indicated slow traffic. As I zoomed out trying to find the roadblock, I lost track of where we were now.
I hit the “Re-center” button. It focused me back on my current location. And it advised us to take the next exit to avoid the slower traffic so we could still arrive on time.
I have to hit “Re-center” every day with God, too. I can zoom out so far into next week and next year that I lose my orientation of where I am today.
But when I come back into the moment, I find God is still here. He’s still with me. He’s still giving me the very next turn, right when I need it.
God knows exactly where I am, where He wants me to end up, and how to get me there.
God is always with us today. And for us, it’s always today. When tomorrow becomes today, we can know that God will be there, too.
Because we know God is always present, we can let go of the future.
“I tell you, now is the favorable time; now is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1
Because “Uncertainty” is my One Word for 2021, I’m working hard on accepting God’s grace for today. How does God help you stay in the moment? What is your today’s work?
…you are a lot more hightech than I am.
But I bet you could navigate much easier without GPS than I can. :) I’m dependent on it.
I don’t know that I would like to see the directions for my whole life laid out in front of me, but I would sometimes like the directions from God to be more clear. or maybe louder! :) Thanks for the reminder to hit the re-center button. (And I often wonder how we ever got around before we all had GPS!)
My husband and I asked each other last weekend if we’d want to know when we would die. He said he would want to know. I said I wouldn’t. Tough question to consider.
I think I need to adjust my spiritual hearing aids more often so I can better hear God’s voice. There’s so much noise that surrounds us these days.
And I don’t know how I got around before GPS either. It’s been a wonderful game-changer for me.
Yes, Lisa, we must take comfort in the fact that God is ever present in the moment. Yes, He wants us to recall His mighty deeds, and live in hope for the future, but where we meet Him is in the here and now. Great post!
Blessings!
Thanks, Martha. Staying in the moment with Him is the most effective way I’ve found to allay my anxieties about anything going on. I don’t always do it well, but when I do, I’m thankful.
Focusing on the present and doing today’s work. Just the message I needed to hear.
I’m glad, Theresa! It’s a message I have to repeat to myself often. I tend to wander off into the future far too easily instead of lingering in the present a bit longer.
One habit I (imperfectly) try to keep is implementing meditative “stops” throughout the day: quiet time in the a.m., workout to Christian music, praise and prayer rests at the kitchen window while waiting for the microwave, a scripture card to contemplate while brushing my teeth, etc. Back in the days I taught school, I’d use the trips back and forth to the playground, the art room, music room, library, etc. as praise and prayer rests. I love your idea of re-centering, Lisa. That’s a lovely visual to keep in mind as we strive to practice God’s presence–in the here and now–throughout our days!
Oh, I love your examples here, Nancy. Using meditative “stops” all throughout the day, triggered by ordinary events that we all come across, is an excellent way to keep hitting that re-center button. Thank you for sharing!
I’m a detail person so knowing what to expect eases my mind. I know God will show us the way and we will get there in HIs perfect timing, but sometimes I want to know before the fact. Keeping my eyes on what is right in front of me keeps me centered on God and present in the moment.
I totally relate to what you’re saying, Mary. I like to know the details too, so trusting God to handle those without my knowledge can be a challenge at times. ;) Yes, keeping my mind and spirit in the now, where my physical body lives with God, helps me to trust God more with the future. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa, this is such an important part of walking with Christ. Wants, wishes, outcomes, needs, and so much more are in my brain yet God is walking with me right now and has His perfect plans. I, too, need to wait, to be still, to love now, and be in today. Thanks so much.
Staying in the now also goes so well with your word Decrease, Linda. We don’t have to seek the more, more, more about knowing the future when we have God in the moment. It’s a lesson I have to continually learn anew again and again. Thanks for your sweet example, friend.
Thank you, Lisa. This is helping me a great deal.
God bless you and your family,
Chris