Have You Ever Stopped and Turned Around?

People who know me are aware of my “traveling disability” – I’m directionally challenged. Whenever I go to a new place, I either need clear directions or must rely on my good friend, Gladys Penelope Snodgrass (GPS). In fact, I can somewhere 10 times and, if the route is complicated in any way, will probably need directions again. 

 

I admire people who can travel to a new location and from that first visit will have the directions down pat, even years later. That doesn’t describe me. A common stereotype about men is that they never stop for directions, insistent on finding the way on their own. However, acknowledging my directional deficiencies, I’m usually quick to stop to ask someone – or consult GPS – for guidance.

 

One time I did attempt the “find it yourself” approach, but after a while realized the farther that I drove, the more distant I was getting from my destination. I’d rather humble myself and admit I’m lost – or suspect I might be – than keep following the wrong route. 

 

I marvel at the account in Exodus of how the ancient Israelites, after being freed from bondage in Egypt, wandered in the desert for 40 years before God guided them to the Promised Land. In that culture, women were expected to submit to the authority of men. And the men of Israel probably were too proud to ask for directions.

 

There’s a spiritual parallel here, but it’s not limited to the male species. Many of us have spent considerable time wandering through life, often in a tremendous hurry, but we seem to be going in circles. We’re going nowhere, but at least we’re making great time. Or as a friend used to describe people trying to live without Jesus Christ, “They’re lost, but they don’t know they’re lost.”

 

Recently I heard a story about C.S. Lewis, a one-time atheist who became a stalwart theologian and apologist for Christianity. Although raised in a Christian home, he rejected the faith at an early age and for a time thought he was doing just fine, on the right path, right on schedule. Then, as recounted in The Most Reluctant Convert, a biography of Lewis by David Downing, came an “aha” moment.

 

Lewis was enrolled to attend the esteemed Oxford University College, but when he exited the train in Oxford, he mistakenly began walking down the street in the wrong direction. He had never been to the town before, so Lewis grew disappointed at the nondescript houses and shops he saw along the way. He continued for a while until he reasoned that perhaps he was going the wrong way.

 

Not long after turning around, Lewis began to see the beautiful towers and spires for which the college is noted. Recalling this experience in his own book, Surprised by Joy, Lewis states, “This little adventure was an allegory of my whole life.” This became an important step in his journey of returning to the wonder of a life of faith, realizing the futility of following the path that had absorbed him into “the mundane inanities of modern life.”

 

Only when he turned around did Lewis find his way to the college, and this “turning” served as an important moment in realizing his need to turn back to the God he had encountered as a child. And what a turning it was – he became the author of many books about the Christian faith, including Mere Christianity, A Grief Observed, and the Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series.

 

Tragically, countless men and women are traveling in the absolute wrong direction, thoroughly convinced it eventually will get them to where they want to go. They have no idea that unless they turn around and proceed in the opposite direction, which the Bible calls “repentance,” they will never arrive at their desired destination. As Acts 3:19 declares, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

 

The many religions of this world suggest there are many ways of finding the peace, joy, sense of purpose and fulfillment we all long for. But Jesus Christ boldly declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

 

This opportunity is available for anyone who will call out to God, acknowledge their need for Him and the fact that they have been headed in the wrong direction for much too long. If we do so, we’re told, “A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8).

 

Is it time that you – or someone that you know and love – admitted going the wrong way and decided it was time to consult a new GPS: God’s Positioning System? 

There was a time in my life that I was far off-course spiritually, knowing nothing about a real, transforming relationship with the Lord. But I finally “saw the light,” no longer directionally challenged spiritually. Ever since then, following Jesus has become an incredible adventure I could never have imagined. When God said in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call on me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,” He wasn’t kidding. 

3 Days With Gladys Penelope Snodgrass

Recently I spent three days driving around St. Louis, Mo., as well as towns nearby, with Gladys Penelope Snodgrass. Who? You probably know her by her nickname – GPS. I took her with me everywhere, and every time she told me where to go – in a very polite, considerate manner. It seems she has a keen understanding of directionally challenged individuals like me.

Meet "Gladys Penelope Snodgrass."

I decided to give her a name because when you spend that much time together, it seems unkind to remain so impersonal as to refer to the other “person” only as GPS. She actually sounded the way I’d imagine a Gladys Penelope Snodgrass should sound.

Several months ago I wrote about another GPS experience I had, pointing out how we follow instructions the navigational device gives with simple, trusting faith. If the voice says turn right, we turn right. If she says proceed 15 miles, we proceed as we’re told – she should know, right? (I say “she” because the voice sounds feminine. These days, who knows?)

But as “Gladys” and I traveled together, another principle came to mind. She was a constant companion, always available when needed. There wasn’t any need for unnecessary chit-chat. Gladys was direct and to the point. “In three-tenths of a mile, turn left onto Willow Street.” “In 1.1 miles take exit 26 on the right, then bear right.” “You have reached your destination.”

If she said, “Proceed 28 miles,” she remained quiet until about 27 miles had passed, then announced what I should do next. Always there, but never making a nuisance of herself, or demanding my attention. Simply ready and available, whenever needed.

In a similar, yet far more profound way, that’s one way I see my relationship with God. He asks us to follow His direction with simple faith – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). At the same time, He’s with us continually, not imposing Himself on us, but ever-present.

Jesus promised His followers “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Earlier in the Bible the Lord also assured us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

As I drove around St. Louis and the surrounding region, my good friend Gladys was there with me, ready to help when needed. Because I trusted the GPS – despite having no understanding of how it works – I rightly presumed it would guide me to my destination, and even if I missed a turn it would “recalculate” and get me back on course.

When Psalm 23 tells me “the Lord is my Shepherd,” I can have confidence that just as a flock of sheep maintain a simple, unwavering confidence in the constant presence and care of their shepherd, God promises to do the same for me. And for every member of His “flock.”

We don’t have to fully understand how He works, why He sometimes answers our prayers in one way and at other times in a different way, but He promises to get us to where we need to go. If we’re willing to let Him guide us.

So if you ever feel alone, even disconnected from God, just remember Gladys Penelope Snodgrass. She was always there when I needed her. To a far greater extent, God gives us the assurance that He will be, too.

In GPS We Trust?

Being among the legion of people fitting the description of “directionally challenged” – we pretty much couldn’t find our way out of a large paper bag – I regard the Global Positioning System (GPS) as one of mankind’s greatest inventions.

How it works, I don’t know. When I’m using my GPS, does President Obama get regular updates on where I am? Is the NSA diligently monitoring my progress? Can the satellite tracking my vehicle tell if I’m eating French fries, or if I’m trying to find the local ESPN affiliate on the radio?

But who cares? It’s just a marvel to me that whether it’s the GPS built into your vehicle, a portable device, or even the navigation app on your smart phone, you tell it where you want to go and it provides a map (plus voice – I think her name is “Gertrude”) to guide you along your way.

Never fails. Right?

A GPS can guide you to wherever you
want to go. Which GPS do you use?

On a recent business trip I used the Google Maps app on my phone rather than reacquainting myself with our Garmin, and for the most part it worked great. Except for once. I was driving along the route “Gertie” had instructed when suddenly she announced, “Make a U-turn in 1,000 feet.” No warning. She hadn’t indicated a turn earlier that I had missed. She just wanted me to make a U-turn – and right now. Impulsive, if you ask me.

I thought, “This doesn’t make sense. I’m on the state highway I’m supposed to be on.” I knew because of MapQuest, printed directions I always bring as a stop-gap, in case the GPS gets confused. As had just happened, apparently.

But to be sure – I hate driving miles and miles out of my way, only to waste time backtracking – I did turn at the next light, swung around and headed back toward the intersection. Then Gertie advised me to turn left – back onto the highway, in the same direction I’d been traveling.

Good ole “Trust Me I Never Make a Mistake Gertie” had…made a mistake! Who knew? The next day I drove the same route, and Gertie made the same error. She’s sometimes wrong, it seems, but never in doubt.

This got me thinking about the other GPS I’ve used countless times, the one that truly never fails – God’s Positioning System. (I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth mentioning again.) Early in my journey as a follower of Jesus, I learned this passage: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

My personal life – and often my professional life – have confirmed the truth of these verses. Reviewing the course of my journalistic career is one example. At the outset of my career, as a wet-behind-the-ears editor of a community newspaper in suburban Columbus, Ohio, if someone had explained where my vocational path would lead, I’d have responded emphatically, “I can’t get there from here!” And I would have been right. Because to get to where I am now, I’ve had to go to many other places first.

From New Jersey (where I grew up) to Houston, Texas (where I began college) to Ohio (where I finished college and started my first newspaper job) to suburban Philadelphia, back to Ohio, then to suburban Houston, and finally here to Chattanooga, Tenn. Even after arriving in Chattanooga, God has taken my family and me in directions we couldn’t have anticipated.

But unlike with Gertie and my Google Maps app, God’s directions have never failed. That’s not to say there haven’t been times – many times – when I wondered, “Lord, do You know what You’re doing?” In retrospect I’ve learned His answer has always been, “Yes, I do. Why do you ask?”

Proverbs 3:5-6 has a few caveats, however. We have to trust in the Lord – and not in ourselves. If we try to lean on our own understanding instead, we’ll find ourselves more confused than Gertie the Google Maps lady.

And hardest of all is acknowledging God in all our ways. We like to hold the Lord in reserve, kind of like a spare tire. “If I need you, I’ll let You know.” Many times we’re willing to acknowledge anything but God. But if – and when – we do submit to Him, recognizing He’s got a much better idea of what we need and where we need to go, He will indeed make our paths straight.

Even if those “straight paths” result in crisscrossing the map.

Global Positioning System? Accurate much of the time. God’s Positioning System? Accurate all of the time. I highly recommend it!

Advice for the ‘Directionally Challenged’

We all have minor disabilities of one type or another. Some people are colorblind, others have hearing deficiencies, and some have attention deficits. The list goes on. One of mine is being “directionally challenged.” You can tell me how to get somewhere 10 times, and the 11^th time I’ll probably have to ask you again.

For Christmas I received a GPS device, which stands for global positioning system. Unfortunately, since I’m also technologically challenged, I’ve yet to figure out how to use it. Hopefully I can solve that riddle soon. It would make life easier, at least when traveling.

Most men – so I’m told – refuse to ask for directions. They pride themselves in being able to find their destination without help. Not me. I’ve discovered if I don’t ask for assistance in getting to where I want to go, I’ll wind up somewhere else. So despite being in the male minority, I ask for directions – or consult Mapquest or Google.

This attitude is even more helpful in figuring out where you’re going in life, whether in terms of education, career, finances, family relationships, or whatever. It’s easy to boldly confront daily challenges with the assumption we have it all figured out – “I’ve got this.” But as we get older, it’s suddenly apparent we don’t know as much as we thought.

So we turn to trusted friends or professionals for advice and counsel. But there’s an even better source to aid those of us that are directionally challenged in life, which includes us all to some degree.

One of the first Bible verses I learned was Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him (the Lord) and he will make your paths straight.” Another verse affirms that promise: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

In other words, for the journey through life we are offered another kind of GPS – God’s Positioning System. We find it through the Scriptures, prayer, consulting with other followers of Christ, and the abiding presence of God’s Spirit within us.

That doesn’t mean we’ll never take an “exit” we’re not supposed to, or veer off on a side road, but even when we do – if we’re willing to consult God for directions – He’ll gladly get us back on the main highway.

A Non-Techie’s Praises of Technology

Can you believe where technology has taken us in just the past few decades?

When our family arrived in Chattanooga, Tenn. in 1981, USA Today was still a figment of the Gannett Corporation’s imagination. A computer might fit on your lap – if you were a blue whale. E-mail was a letter sent to racecar driver Dale Earnhardt. Being an editor for magazines and newsletters, when I took photographs people would ask, “Did you get any good pictures?” I’d reply that I’d know when the film was developed.

Virtually no one had yet heard of the Internet. GPS comprised the initials of Chattanooga’s private girls’ school. Some people speculated phones would one day become standard equipment in cars, like air conditioning and radios.

Today, online media are making traditional newspapers obsolete. My iPad, smaller than a legal pad, is more powerful than room-sized computers of years past. I regularly communicate with friends in other countries via email, and my digital camera not only immediately displays images I’ve just captured, but also moves seamlessly from still photos to video.

On a recent trip to Charlotte, N.C., we used my daughter’s SUV (back in 1981, minivans were “in”) to take our grandson back to the motel for naptime, and the GPS (I called it “Gertrude the Personal Spotter”) provided directions. When I misunderstood an instruction and missed a turn, “Gertie” immediately redirected us without so much as a frustrated sigh or angry tone. I’m writing this blog and posting it with little more than the blink of an eye.

Who knows what technology will bring us in the future? Just this week USA Today ran an article stating it might not be long before we’re regularly using smartphones at checkout lines instead of wallets. Travel, communications, commerce and every other aspect of life will continue to revel in the relentless advance of technology.

Certainly there’s been a downside to technology as well, but that’s the way we humans are. Given something good, or even neutral, we’ll try to expose its negative side. But my greatest concern is embracing technology too ardently.

Years ago I attended a liturgical church where we sang the “Doxology”: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….” I think we should have hearty appreciation for technology, but praise should go to God alone.

           

After all, He’s given us the creative spark to discover and implement new things. He’s granted us the reasoning capacity to think problems through to their solution. He’s provided the raw material for manufacturing the wonderful tools we use today.

In 2 Peter 1:3 we’re told, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” As we benefit from countless technological advancements, it might be wise never to forget the ultimate Source of those discoveries.