Recalculating

Several weeks before Christmas, my husband got a GPS. For those of you who get lost in the ocean of acronyms as I do, GPS stands for Global Positioning System. Through the use of a satellite system, the GPS's goal is to get you from one place to another without getting lost. Christmas arrived early in the Perkins' household for my husband when that box arrived.

Content to leave him with his new toy, I opted to go to the grocery store. I should not have been surprised when he wanted to go with me and bring the GPS. We sat in the driveway almost ten minutes as he attempted to program the navigational system.

"Honey," I tried to be patient, "It only takes five minutes to drive to the store; I could have been there by now."

His focus was so intense he either didn't hear or ignored me.

With a broad smile, he attached his new toy to the windshield.
"Drive point 2 miles and turn left at the yield sign." A tranquil woman's voice commanded me from the small object.

Complying, I backed out of the driveway and followed orders. Everything was fine until the second command.

"At the four-way stop turn left and drive 1 point 5 miles." I glanced at my husband. At the four-way stop we were to go straight, not left. The store was only nine-tenths of a mile away. Why would I go 1.5 miles out of my way?

"Now what?" I asked.
"I don't know."

For a few moments we remained at the stop sign, both of us probably pondering the same question. Do we go the way we know or do we trust the GPS and go where it was directing us? I was driving; we went straight.

As we watched the screen of the GPS and the little directional car going passed the highlighted route, the GPS responded with "Recalculating." Almost immediately it programmed in the usual route we took to the store.

Recalculating is a word we hear a lot when we are going to familiar locations. The GPS desires to take us one way and we often will choose to go another. On familiar outings after several "recalculating," the voice of the GPS will be silenced. Even with no sound, the screen of the device continues to show we are off of the chosen path. The little gadget will continue to recalculate until we are on the same route in order to get us to our destination.

I've come to appreciate the purpose of the GPS. It will do whatever it can to keep us from getting lost. Even when we take wrong turns or choose to go a different route, it will recalculate to help us arrive to our chosen location.

There are times when I know God wants to do some recalculating in my life. Either I've gotten lost along the way or opted to take some wrong turns. But God, being God, doesn't want me lost and will recalculate and redirect me in the right direction. At times when He recalculates and I don't want to listen, I silence His voice. Usually, I find myself totally lost. As I begin listening to His voice again, He redirects me. Just like the GPS, God doesn't want me lost and, if I will listen, He will direct me to His chosen location.

Recalculating.

One of these days when the GPS directs me to a familiar location using a different route, I may follow. Who knows, I could see something new and it would be worth choosing not to follow a familiar path.