Trusting God's Maps

"Turn right in 500 feet."

"Recalculating."

"Your destination is on the right."

I use a GPS device as a map, especially when traveling to a new place. After I type in the address, the female voice starts navigating. Of course, she first guides me down the driveway, then through my neighborhood, then out of the city. She starts one turn at a time.

I blindly trust the digital navigator to help me reach my destination safely and on time.

Why can’t I be that way with God?

I want God to show me His mapped-out plans for me in advance before I back the car out of the driveway and proceed on this adventure called life.

I must admit, sometimes I trust my GPS more than I trust God’s plans for me.

I don’t question the digital navigator, just God. I don’t need to know which roads the GPS will take me on, but I want to know all the turns in advance from God. Negotiate with the GPS? Rarely. Negotiate with God? Oh yes!

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life, I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalms 32:8ClosePsalms 32:8 The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) NLT).

"You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail" (Proverbs 19:21CloseProverbs 19:21 You can make many plans,  but the LORD's purpose will prevail. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt)  NLT).

I read these and other verses; and I get it — God’s ways, plans, and thoughts for me are better than anything I could dream up.

But my brain just wants a little peek at the path God is taking me on. Okay, more than a little peek. I want to know every detail. Especially the ending.

In the Bible, we learn of two great men: Moses and Abraham. God gave each man an assignment, but their reactions to God’s requests were different.

God asked Moses to return to Egypt and free the Israelites. But Moses said he was inadequate so he asked God to send someone else (Exodus 4:1-17CloseExodus 4:1-17 But Moses protested again, "What if they won't believe me or listen to me? What if they say, `The LORD never appeared to you'?" Then the LORD asked him, "What is that in your hand?"  "A shepherd's staff," Moses replied. "Throw it down on the ground," the LORD told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Then the LORD told him, "Reach out and grab its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd's staff in his hand. "Perform this sign," the LORD told him. "Then they will believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to you." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease.* "Now put your hand back into your cloak," the LORD said. So Moses put his hand back in, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. The LORD said to Moses, "If they do not believe you and are not convinced by the first miraculous sign, they will be convinced by the second sign. And if they don't believe you or listen to you even after these two signs, then take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground. When you do, the water from the Nile will turn to blood on the ground." But Moses pleaded with the LORD, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled." Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say." But Moses again pleaded, "Lord, please! Send anyone else." Then the LORD became angry with Moses. "All right," he said. "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you. Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. Aaron will be your spokesman to the people. He will be your mouthpiece, and you will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say. And take your shepherd's staff with you, and use it to perform the miraculous signs I have shown you." OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ). On the other hand, Abraham didn’t hesitate in responding to God’s command to sacrifice his son, Isaac. (Genesis 22:0CloseGenesis 22:0 OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) ).

Moses tried to negotiate with God, but Abraham did not.

I’m more like Moses — send someone else unless you can show me all the obstacles I’ll face and promise me there will be a happy ending.

I want to be more like Abraham. Listen, trust, obey.

What do we learn from these two men? Trust in God’s timing. Trust in God’s plans. When we hear a call from God to do something, step out in faith and be obedient. Believe that God will be with us every step of the way. We don’t need to know every bend and twist in the road — simply trust Him as Savior and guide.

God is also teaching us we shouldn’t make a list of all the reasons we think God made a mistake in choosing us. Remember, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He chooses us because of our gifts and passions. He wants those things to be used for His Kingdom, not kept locked inside our comfortable living room.

Listen. Leap one step at a time. Trust Him completely. God’s loving, non-digital voice will guide us through the traffic, over the bridges, and around each turn on this journey called Obedience.

Copyright © Karen Tyner. Used by permission.