The Sat-Nav

If you, like me, have been around/in church long enough, you very likely would have heard preachers, pastors and other ministers of the Word of GOD use the Sat-Nav/GPS systems as an analogy of how GOD helps us navigate this journey called LIFE. I thought on this while on one of my ~45-minute commutes home from work when I noticed my Sat-Nav give the same instruction at a particular point on the M60 (a motorway in North England): “exit left then stay right” and the display at the top bar read: “Continue on the M60”. I dismissed it initially and then noticed it happened the next day and came to expect it at the same point on the M60.

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If you haven’t heard of the Sat-Nav ‘message’, here is a summary of one commonly used analogy: GOD gives a destination, I start the journey. But maybe I make a wrong turn on my way, my route gets re-calibrated insofar as it’s still my intention to get to HIS destination. I hope this makes sense. If it does, good; if not, erm, read again? Well, it makes sense to me (lol) and I like it as it reassures me that GOD is NEVER handicapped by my fallibility but is always able to make something good out of everything [Romans 8:28].

As much as the analogy of the Sat-Nav is quite useful in describing our communications with GOD, I believe it might be handicapped in some ways. I mean, that is to be expected when trying to describe a GOD whose ways are past finding out [Romans 11:33] with things we are done finding out about. So here are some reasons why I believe we should take the Sat-Nav analogy at its face value and don’t make the mistake of extrapolating it to other areas of our communication with GOD.

1. It does not talk back to you – it’s one-sided communication. Nowhere in the Bible does GOD advocate for doing all the talking HIMSELF; it’s always a two-way convo HE’s after. Remember young Samuel; GOD didn’t start giving the message till Samuel said “Speak LORD, for thy servant is listening” [1 Samuel 3:10]. Even with the Urim and Thumin and ephod and all that, man asked and GOD answered, or vice versa. GOD’s intention for HIS creation, for us, was and is to relate to us one on one, just like HE did with Moses – a man who GOD spoke to as a man speaks to his friend [Exodus 33:11].

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2. It says the same thing when you are at the same place every time. Lol, this was what taught me these things. Now, I’m a very logical person and I ALWAYS try to fit everything to a formula, even my relationship with GOD which is quite a foolish thing to do, to be honest. So it got to a point that I had to ask GOD to please make HIS voice/way/heart clearer to me as HE’s made me smart enough to deduce things for myself which has only gotten me so far. GOD, the Creator of this Universe, that made all the different sizes and colours of different species of different animals and different plants CANNOT be reduced to a formula.

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HE does not always lead in the same way, as in give the same instructions for the same battle. Remember David and his battles with the Philistines. Same enemies, same positions but different fighting strategies [2 Samuel 5]. If David wasn’t foolish to assume GOD’s battle plan was the same for the same enemies, we will be taking a posture of wisdom by not assuming the same things.

3. It needs updating. When people say the Bible is some archaic book that is not relevant to this 21st century, it’s just a joke really! GOD does not conform to the standards of this world and so does not need to update HIMSELF. I’m glad there’s no Bible 2.0 because really like Solomon said, there’s nothing new under the sun [Ecclesiastes 1:9] so why should GOD need updating (this sounds like a rant! Maybe it is…lol)?

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Anyway, the Words that GOD spoke in Genesis 1:1 till Revelation 22:21 is still applicable, valid and relevant to me in 2016 June:29. Forever oh LORD, YOUR Word is settled [Psalms 119:89].

Bottom line? Let’s not limit GOD in our limited understanding. Creation speaks of HIS nature and attributes [Romans 1:20], yes, but remember HE made those things. The physical things are borne out of the spiritual and eternal things such as HIS WORD.