Psalm 57:11 – Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory be above all the earth. (NKJV)

Over the last 20 years, PresbyCan has published over 30 devotionals based on the usefulness of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in locating ourselves on a map, or directing us to a destination. Recently, I experienced a different outcome, based on Google's use of GPS to guide me. On one occasion, about a mile before my destination, the app directed me off the freeway and through city streets. On my return, I was immediately directed onto the freeway, but I noticed that in the opposite direction, traffic had come to a standstill. Suddenly, it dawned on me that Google had saved me from being caught in a mile-long traffic jam!

Later, I was driving my grandson to a hockey practice, located in the same building as a large downtown arena. Unbeknownst to us, there was an NHL hockey game scheduled for the same time as the hockey practice. This time, Google directed us off the freeway at an earlier exit than usual. Above the freeway, we could see below us all the traffic ahead, waiting to exit and find parking for the game. We wound our way through the city streets and quickly arrived at the practice venue. On my return trip later, I was immediately directed onto the freeway, and I realized that Google had once again saved me a lot of time stuck in traffic.

I understand that the way the Google smartphone app works is that it sends information to the Google computer, which can calculate how fast all the users are going. It notes the ones that are stopped, and if there are a lot, it directs those approaching the slow or stopped traffic to take a different route, thus saving them a lot of time.

As I contemplated how Google uses the GPS "eye in the sky", it made me think about how much better our all-knowing, all-powerful God is, because He not only sees what is going on now, but He also knows ahead of time what is going to happen in the future. That is why it is essential for us to consult God for direction in making significant decisions. Sometimes, we may feel that God is directing us towards a choice that makes no sense. Sometimes, if we obey His inner urgings, we may never know what harm or injury that we avoided by following His guidance. Other times, looking back, we may actually gain insight, and say to ourselves, "Wow! Look at all this that has happened because I made that unusual decision." That has happened to me on several important occasions, as well as the reverse, when I delayed obeying His voice, and missed a significant event that I have regretted ever since. So, I know that it is essential for us to pay careful attention to God's guidance. It is far better than any GPS!

Prayer: Lord, for us who love You, You have promised to work all things together for our good and Your glory. Help us to remember to trust You for guidance in our daily lives, and enable us to obey You. Amen.

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About the author:

Robin Ross <rross@telus.net>
Mission, British Columbia, Canada
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