IS MY GPS SAYING UNKNOWN?
It was a great family evening we planned together. We wanted to see Cindy Patty, Larnelle Harris and Dino live, for a long time. Finally, the moment had come, the opportunity had arrived. Traveling in our Navigator well equipped with its GPS, we found comfort and enjoyment. We finally arrived at the very secluded church in Georgia and relished every bit of the great concert. We had a ball at the concert. The end came and we had to make our way back home. As usual, I hopped in the SUV and waited for the family to be seated and I set my GPS, then took the road. As I began to travel, everyone in the car felt uneasy about the road I took. After 20 minutes of driving time, the inquiries began “Are we on the right road?.” That's when being lost can cause you to loose your mind. It seemed that staying at the concert until the morning would have been better for me. By now, we realized that we were lost on a road going to nowhere, for even our GPS said UNKNOWN, and, of course, the driver is to blame. And my wife would let me know what she thought audibly, and by body expressions, and sighings that cannot be uttered. You either find a way or that will be the basis for anything else for years to come. However, I found some of the most profound lessons from my GPS that night. And, some of you who have a GPS system in your car, may have the same experience at times. Reaching the unknown, way off the road that leads home and it is late at night, what do you do?
LESSON #1) WE ALL HAVE A DESTINY AHEAD AND BY FAITH WE WILL MAKE IT
You see, a GPS is a spoken direction based on a recorded map in a database. A GPS is not an intelligent mind capable of predicting where we can be lost. Sometimes, it's a man talking and most of the times, it is a lady guiding you.) All these are nice, when we are in control and all thing's a go. Listen, does this sound familiar to you? At the next 400 feet, turn right into Main Street then, Turn right. slight right turn, then a left at 200 ft unto lost St then a right unto Found St., your nowhere destination is ahead to your left. Then, when you finally arrived, you hear the voice saying “You have arrived at your destination.” (That is when the area map is updated and you are where to be found. We seem to know where we are going and we are confident that the voice in our GPS will take us safely to tour destination. Our heart has a GPS also and, we listen to its voice dictating to us the road of life to our destiny. This is a lot of faith, I submit. What if that voice were telling you what does not work? What if that voice were sending us to our death at the end of the road? However risky this may sound, we follow the voice in our physical GPS in our car trusting that the database is correct. This is the voice of someone we never probably met before or will never meet. Yet, we trust it anyhow. We are creatures of faith. The Bible says, "To every man is dealt a measure of faith." That means we decide to place that faith where we want to. As everyone of us goes to a destination, we all have a destiny ahead to go to. And, the Bible says, "you will hear a still small voice saying, this is the way, walk ye in it." Listen attentively.
You see, a GPS is a spoken direction based on a recorded map in a database. A GPS is not an intelligent mind capable of predicting where we can be lost. Sometimes, it's a man talking and most of the times, it is a lady guiding you.) All these are nice, when we are in control and all thing's a go. Listen, does this sound familiar to you? At the next 400 feet, turn right into Main Street then, Turn right. slight right turn, then a left at 200 ft unto lost St then a right unto Found St., your nowhere destination is ahead to your left. Then, when you finally arrived, you hear the voice saying “You have arrived at your destination.” (That is when the area map is updated and you are where to be found. We seem to know where we are going and we are confident that the voice in our GPS will take us safely to tour destination. Our heart has a GPS also and, we listen to its voice dictating to us the road of life to our destiny. This is a lot of faith, I submit. What if that voice were telling you what does not work? What if that voice were sending us to our death at the end of the road? However risky this may sound, we follow the voice in our physical GPS in our car trusting that the database is correct. This is the voice of someone we never probably met before or will never meet. Yet, we trust it anyhow. We are creatures of faith. The Bible says, "To every man is dealt a measure of faith." That means we decide to place that faith where we want to. As everyone of us goes to a destination, we all have a destiny ahead to go to. And, the Bible says, "you will hear a still small voice saying, this is the way, walk ye in it." Listen attentively.
LESSON #2) DO NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE IN DENIAL. IF YOU'RE LOST, SAY SO.
In my GPS system, when it says OFF ROAD, it means you are lost. You have abandoned the main road for your itinerary. You are way off and you need to come back to the way that leads home. How many times have you heard this in your soul? You have abandoned the main road. And, that is your wake up call that you should never deny.
LESSON # 3) JESUS IS THE WAY
Have you ever experienced the UNKNOWN in your GPS system? Have you programmed your vehicle for failure? The Apostle Paul, while crossing Athens in Greece, saw an inscription "To the Unknown God" Folks, the unknown is when we are our own. Sometimes in life, we travel in the realm of the unknown. Our GPS does not work in those areas and uncertainty, doubts, fears and skepticism assail us. We wish we had another GPS to take over where ours failed. That is exactly what God offers to all of us. He likes when our GPS does not work anymore and we are constrained to seek help. Jesus steps in and says, "I am the way. His voice is so sweet that even the birds hush their singing unlike the voice in our GPS. His is the voice that says to our conscience, "This is the way, walk ye in it." You may be mapped out, but there is a graphic diagram on a lonely cross called Golgotha's hills where the Savior died for your sins and mine with His hands outstretched. The diagram of salvation is also prerecorded in your life GPS. In case you have lost your way, you do not have to loose your mind. Hear Him calling your name to come back to Him. And. He says,"he who comes to me, in no wise, I will cast him out."
In my GPS system, when it says OFF ROAD, it means you are lost. You have abandoned the main road for your itinerary. You are way off and you need to come back to the way that leads home. How many times have you heard this in your soul? You have abandoned the main road. And, that is your wake up call that you should never deny.
LESSON # 3) JESUS IS THE WAY
Have you ever experienced the UNKNOWN in your GPS system? Have you programmed your vehicle for failure? The Apostle Paul, while crossing Athens in Greece, saw an inscription "To the Unknown God" Folks, the unknown is when we are our own. Sometimes in life, we travel in the realm of the unknown. Our GPS does not work in those areas and uncertainty, doubts, fears and skepticism assail us. We wish we had another GPS to take over where ours failed. That is exactly what God offers to all of us. He likes when our GPS does not work anymore and we are constrained to seek help. Jesus steps in and says, "I am the way. His voice is so sweet that even the birds hush their singing unlike the voice in our GPS. His is the voice that says to our conscience, "This is the way, walk ye in it." You may be mapped out, but there is a graphic diagram on a lonely cross called Golgotha's hills where the Savior died for your sins and mine with His hands outstretched. The diagram of salvation is also prerecorded in your life GPS. In case you have lost your way, you do not have to loose your mind. Hear Him calling your name to come back to Him. And. He says,"he who comes to me, in no wise, I will cast him out."
LESSON #4) GET A COMPASS INSTEAD OF A MAP, WOULD YOU?
Do you know what I discovered in life? A map and a GPS are based on the known roads blocks and the likes. But, not the unknown. When we go to uncharted territory, we must step up to find which way leads home. And, that is when we realize that we need a compass more than a map. Yes friends, we need a compass that points to true North to reorient our lives. I submit to you that compass is already there for you, you need to get a hold of it right now. That compass is called the word of God that never fails. It is your Bible, the authoritative compass that can always lead you home to your God. Have you lost your way? Is the road looking like the one going to nowhere? Can you hear your children say, are we there yet? These are signs that you may be headed in the wrong direction aimlessly roaming to nowhere. It is time to turn around.
Do you know what I discovered in life? A map and a GPS are based on the known roads blocks and the likes. But, not the unknown. When we go to uncharted territory, we must step up to find which way leads home. And, that is when we realize that we need a compass more than a map. Yes friends, we need a compass that points to true North to reorient our lives. I submit to you that compass is already there for you, you need to get a hold of it right now. That compass is called the word of God that never fails. It is your Bible, the authoritative compass that can always lead you home to your God. Have you lost your way? Is the road looking like the one going to nowhere? Can you hear your children say, are we there yet? These are signs that you may be headed in the wrong direction aimlessly roaming to nowhere. It is time to turn around.
LESSON #5) DO YOUR BEST TO NEVER BE LOST AT MIDNIGHT
This was the most horrific and terrifying moment in that ordeal. It was late. And, when it is that late 20 minutes appears to 20 hours, and home seems to be the unreachable place as our children and my wife were now yawning and yearning to get home. What do you do as a husband and father on whom everybody counts? I tried reprogramming the GPS to no avail. It seemed that all things convened to contribute toward our being lost and staying stuck in the dark. Then, and then, I decided to trace my way back. I made a U turn and took the road that seemed more logical and that could point to some main streets. It worked in the darkest of the night, we were able to find our way without the GPS that was roaming n uncharted territory. It's painful to be lost late at night and specially when you are surrounded by lives that depend on you. Dear friends, have you ever wondered, what time we live in? Has there been a moment in your life when it appears that you will never make it back? It is in moments like these that our GPS experience comes home to your hearts. And, my advice to you, do not be lost late on the road, stuck with a GPS that says unknown. Then, it is decision time, it is time to use the science of Backing Off to trace your path back to the road that leads home. Hear what Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and life, no man comes to the Father but by me." It is very late in our world today, you can't afford to stay lost in the dark. I invite you to come home, come to Jesus. The hour is late and the signs of midnight are all around us. Do your best to make it home with Jesus for the midnight cry.
LESSON #6) PRACTICE THE SCIENCE OF BACKING OFF AND TURN AROUND
Are you headed full speed in the wrong direction? Do you the direction you have taken? Would you agree to turn around if it is wrong? When I was a young man in Business School in Maryland, I decided to drive to Florida on my own alone in a Transam with two carburetors. Needless to say that I loved to speed and race cars. On my way back from Florida, I beat a Corvette and a jaguar. By all appearances, I was a great driver and I was headed back North to my home in Maryland. Everything seemed ok. I felt comfortable and on top of the world. If you had seen me, you would not be able to tell that I was driving full speed in the wrong direction. I took the wrong highway for it looks like 95 North to me, at the beginning. So, I felt that it was not necessary to check the signs, like some of us do at times. I was driving with self-confidence independent of the sign posts that were pointing at a different destination. I was distracted for I was looking for fast cars to beat. Unfortunately, in those days, there were no GPS available to talk to me in the car, I was alone and without the road map, without any assistance. I WAS LOST AND DIDN'T KNOW IT. Dear friends, it is not enough to be a great driver, we must be sure we're on the right road headed in the right direction. The same can be happening in your life right now. You may be traveling all alone without your traveling guide and assistance and you are aimlessly going on the road to nowhere. Please, do like I did. I turned around, went back to my starting point and I found the way to get my family home that night. So, I beseech you today to turn around, turn in confession and repentance with the courage from God, do not continue the way you have been going. There is a better way, a safer way and Jesus is the way. Let Him be your compass for ever.
By: Sony Roy
Bible Commentator
