day 866: GPS

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."


The company, Garmin, and others, have built strong businesses on being on the cutting-edge of utilizing and maximizing GPS (Global Positioning System). Originally developed for the military and government use, this technology has found its way into the hands of consumers and changed the way we work and live. An exaggerated statement you may say? Well think of these applications that we now consider “routine”. There’s no excuse to ever get lost in a car with the built in GPS or a Garmin or Tom-Tom that you can carry with you. If that is too much trouble then look no further than your smartphone for a compass, a map, directions, all located from where you are using GPS. Social applications like Foursquare, Facebook, Highlight, Glancee, Twitter, etc. can all now geo-locate to where we are so that we can better share and receive information and relatioships. As a distance runner I no longer concern myself with getting lost or not knowing how far I have run for my training. On my wrist, no larger than a fashionable wristwatch, is all the technology that I need, and all emanating from GPS. It’s amazing how far and fast technology has come and even more exciting for where it will go. I remember a movie quote from long ago that said, “Wherever you go, that’s where you are.” In today’s day and age, and with the technology that we each can access and utilize in our businesses and lives, it was never more true.

In my Sunday School class that I teach I recently taught on GPS and how like a compass, GPS can help us find our “True North” and to never be lost. But in this case, I was talking about GPS as the Global Positioning System, I was talking to the kids about GPS as “God’s Positioning Sign”. As I built on the metaphor I taught the children that what God gave us in Jesus and His death and resurrection left us with the tools to keep our lives centered and fixed upon Him. Along with His Word, our prayers and the fellowship with other believers, God gave us the ultimate positioning sign at the cross. If ever we doubt on where we are, or feel lost or strayed from our purpose, all we have to do is reposition ourselves with the cross in front of us and we will be heading in the true direction towards home. How blessed we are to have our own personal GPS so to have the assurance that we will never, ever be lost.

Reference: John 3:16 (New Living Testament)