There are a million reasons why God is NOT like a GPS system but I am in Australia and I made a wrong turn and my GPS started reprimanding me and saying “Recalculating!”
The GPS sits on the dashboard of your car and verbally and visually directs you to your location. Mine is a Garmin and it covers the whole of the USA, Canada and Mexico. I will soon be buying one that covers the Middle East and Europe.
I thought of three ways, at least, that the GPS is like God–relatively and figuratively speaking. First, it knows everything: every address, street, city and business in the USA. It knows every gas station, hotel, church, post office, restaurant, airport, school, grocery store, intersection, hospital, freeway, etc. God knows everything.
Second, you can turn it on or shut it off. Now of course you can’t shut God off, but you can practically say NO to him and shut him out of your life. If I shut off my GPS I am the loser since it knows “everything” and knows exactly where I am at any time and how to get to where I want to go. God knows exactly where I am eternally and how to get me to my location. I can turn him on if I want to get his advice and enjoy his knowledge.
Third, every time I screw up he can get me back on track. For example, the other day I made a wrong turn and the GPS politely said, “Recalculating! Make a u-turn.” After I failed to make a u-turn, making a left turn instead, the GPS said, “Recalculating, turn right at Main Street.”
God does the same. He forgives. We screw up and go on the wrong path (sin, disobedience, pride, etc.) and once we repent and confess our sins and decide to listen to God again, he starts over in our life and says “Recalculating! Now that you’ve made a wrong turn and are willing to correct it — don’t worry, I can still get you to heaven from here.” And then he gives us the new directions from our wrong location.
Oh, one other thing, the GPS is ready for me to listen any time day or night. It can get me places in daylight or in pitch darkness, when I know where I’m going and when I don’t — and can’t God do all of that too?
This Post Has 8 Comments
Steve:
You’re going to buy a new GPS for the Middle East and Europe? I may be wrong, but I think you can just upgrade your current GPS system with the Garmin system, hence the digital drive on the side.
Great article, Steve. I use GPS, too and never made the connection. Now we just need God telling us (out loud), “Recalculating…!” ;-]
My favorite was my brother’s GPS telling him to make a “legal U-TURN”, because he had done something wrong. Of course GOD would want us to make it legal too. GPS could stand for God Said Pray!!! Great tool for evangelizing.
Hi Ray!
I love your website. My parents (Stropki’s) are with you on this pilgrimage. I am their daughter (a fallen away Catholic — now revert!!! and my husband just joined this past Easter Vigil. Hope my dad is not pulling any practical jokes on you! Thanks for all the hard work you do to make these trips possible and also for all your great articles.
A big “hello” to everyone (especially mom and dad!)
Hi Mom, Dad, Valerie and Rick, Hope you are enjoying the trip so far. Who would have thought you all would have ended up on the internet. Haha! Like Jennifer said, you missed snowmaggedon, as did everyone else. Somehow everyone missed the fact that there was a huge storm coming and no one was prepared. We are enjoying following your travels online and look forward to seeing all of the pictures when you get back. Miss you, love you all. Love, Matt & Mindy.
Hi Judy and Bev,
The churches and country side are beautiful. Wish I was there especially now that you have gone shopping!!
Dawn Palin
You’re in Australia? Will you be doing any speaking tours?
You’re in Australia! Welcome! Are you doing any talks while you’re here? (I’m in Melbourne). If so, could you please give me any information re dates/times. God bless you for all you do
STEVE RAY HERE: Alida, actually I wrote this blog several years ago and re-posted it a few days ago because I thought it was interesting enough to “reply“. Sorry for the confusion. Actually, we are in Ireland right now.
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