I am old enough to remember well the days before GPS when we traveled by use of maps. Rand McNally reigned supreme as the authoritative guide for getting from point A to point B. But no matter how detailed the maps may be, even using the mighty gargantuan atlas, you might find yourself in an unfamiliar spot pondering the question “how did we end up here?” Even with modern navigation systems, wrong turns occur. In October 2006, an 80-year-old German man ignored a series of warning signs and drove his Mercedes Benz into a giant sand pile off a highway near Hamburg because his GPS told him to!
In these opening chapters of Deuteronomy, Moses is helping the people of Israel understand how an 11-day trip had taken 40 years. It was not due to bad direction, but rather to a series of choices and actions taken by God’s chosen people, particularly where they had broken the Lord’s covenant. These poor choices left them wandering rather than experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promise far earlier.
Where are you right now in your journey through this life? Just starting with enthusiasm, bogged down after bad direction, faithfully moving forward with hope, on the verge of victorious completion or somewhere in between? Wherever you may be, it is helpful to stop and assess “how did I end up here?” When we honestly answer this question in our Christian walk, it can help us see far more clearly the direction we have to take moving forward. Trusting in the Lord and walking in obedience is always where we find the best road map for our lives.
“Lord, help me to always seek your direction and to walk forward in obedience and trust. Your way is always the highest way. Amen.”
Joe Pritchett
