Yesterday I purchased something that was on sale at one of the local department stores. It is something that will benefit and improve the relationship with my wife. I am still learning new tricks and I have come to realize, technical advances can often work at improving relationships. On the way home from church I was talking to my wife about our new marital relationship improvement tool. I made mention of it in church, and this new tool is something that goes by another name. We were trying it out last night and today on the way home from church. I couldn’t believe how I used it as an illustration at church today. The other name this marital relationship improvement tool is known as is a GPS or Global Positioning System.Now I know some are asking; “how is this a marital relationship improvement tool?’ The answer is actually quite simple, at least for me. I have always loved to travel and as a result my wife has been on many trips with me as a navigator, sometimes driver. Along the way on those trips we have followed maps or trip tickets from things like map quest or some other online directory. Needless to say, those things aren’t very accurate and wee have gotten into more than a few arguments with more than a few frustrations over our inability to read the maps or follow the directions. We realize the GPS won’t be perfect, but it will be better than the maps or trip tickets we have followed over the years. The voice on the GPS also makes it easier to yell at it than each other.
There was something else I noticed about the GPS I alluded to in church this morning. There are a number of features on the GPS that do things like inform me when I am going above the speed limit, where the closest business or gas station is, when I am entering a school or church zone, even when to turn, if there is construction ahead, or if there is an accident down the road. It is a road map to help in more ways than just giving directions. As I looked at the message and prepared it today for church I recognized that in many ways, Jesus is a road map to help us. He knows the way we should go, he has given us the warning signs that are ahead, and he can help us stay out of problem zones if we listen. In some ways, Jesus is also a GPS, but not a Global Positioning System, but Gods Positioning Savior.
You see it is quite simple, Jesus is there, he is in position and one who has gone through many of the conflicts we have gone through. While he is fully divine, he was also fully human. The Bible tells us he went through the same difficulties we do. He came to earth to help get to the relationship God wants to be in with us. It is up to us to listen. Jesus is much like the GPS in another way, we can go away from the directions we are given, but as soon as we go away from those directions, new instructions are given to help us get back on track, of course we can listen or not, but there is always someone there, willing to help us get back on course. We have a choice when we hear those directions, either listen, or continue on a course that leads us away from God. The course we take is up to us, while we have the voice, those directions; we still have control of the steering wheel, brake, gas pedal and in my case clutch. It is our decision, we can listen to the direction we know will get us to our destination, or we can choose to go our own way. Of course going our own way when we have a GPS seems to be a waste of a great, beneficial tool. I know some of us go our own way when we have a GPS, but I have to ask, is it any wonder some of us experience the tough road that robs us of joy, happiness and hope? If Jesus is your GPS, use him, he knows what he is doing, of course the instruction manual, the Bible will be of benefit to read to fully understand the directions we are given. Then the voice we hear, the Holy Spirit, will be a gentle voice, that even when we are off course will gently lead us back to the place that leads to the things God would have for us. We can charge each other to stay strong and make sure our batteries never die, but those responsibilities still lie with us. What will you do?Some have asked me which GPS I purchased. Well the following is a video of one of the best on teh market. It is fairly new and not many people are aware of it. I highly recommend that you check out the video, just click on it, and if it doesn't appear, just click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDaxjEu-Qck
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