I just came back from a family road trip. And the Global Positioning System (GPS) was an instrument that we definitely used. The GPS is a very helpful gadget
when I travel, especially when navigating unknown territory. It provides assistance in determining my current location. It offers direction on how to get to my destination. These gadgets, though not perfect, have become quite sophisticated in providing turn-by-turn directions. There is the “lane-assist” feature that tells me in advance which lane to take before arriving at a multiple lane interchange. There is the “traffic alert” that forewarns me of possible traffic delays and allows me to consider another route.
One very helpful feature is that which warns me if I make a wrong turn or go in the wrong direction, and guides me back to the proper route. How many times have I heard the GPS voice say, “recalculating,” and then proceed to instruct me on how to get back on the right direction. The GPS doesn’t just map out a travel route. It assists me to stay on the correct path. Of course, the GPS will be useful only if I actually pay attention to and follow its directions. No matter how accurate the directions may be, I still will end up getting lost and in the wrong place if I ignore the GPS.
I am not saying that the GPS devices in use these days are perfect. I have my own experiences with erroneous directions provided by my GPS. But this does not diminish the overall usefulness of the gadget. More are the experiences when my GPS guided me well to my destination, even helped me maneuver through side streets to avoid heavy traffic areas on the freeway.
There is, however, another kind of guide that helps me through an even more important kind of journey—life itself. This guide is none other than Scripture. It is a spiritual GPS, a God Positioning System, that tells me what my position is in relation to God and provides direction on how I can move closer to God. And moving closer to God is all about becoming like Christ and sharing in his glory. That’s the ultimate destination of our existence (1 John 3.2; 2 Corinthians 3.18).
Scripture is the guide that points in the right direction, which is Christ (Hebrews 12.2; Romans 8.29), and shows us how to get there. When we lose our way and make a wrong turn, Scripture is the only reliable guide that warns us and redirects us back toward Christ (2 Timothy 3.16). Yet Scripture is useful only when we follow its directions. It would be foolish to ignore this spiritual GPS. For any other direction instead of Christ will only lead to eternal lostness.
—Keith Jainga