God, Be My Pilot

My husband and I just returned from a road trip to and from Virginia to see our newest grandbaby boy. The visit and the baby were delightful! And the trip wasn’t bad either.

We had brought along printed Mapquest directions, because I like to have a hard copy to know where we are going before we get there. We also brought our GPS so we could track our miles, ETA, next step, and for any recalculations that might be needed along the way.

On our trip down we had a couple of glitches that happened when the GPS did not agree with the written directions. Then we had to make a decision which instructions to follow. We ended up off the path twice, but recognized our error quickly, so we recovered by relying on our own knowledge of the error we had made. However in those moments we were frustrated.

At one point on our way home we decided to just stay on a particular northbound route which was clearly marked. We both remember feeling confident we could just stay on it easily for miles without needing to consult the GPS or our written directions.

But suddenly, without ever leaving this major highway, we found ourselves no longer on this major highway. We didn’t know when, how or where it had happened. We weren’t sure where we were. We had to depend on the GPS instructions to get us back on track and we relaxed in that.

The voice of the GPS was our guide. It took us on a brief but scenic circular path through our capital city of Washington, DC. We decided the detour was worth it.

It got me to thinking that sometimes we truly don’t know where we are or how we are going to get to our destination. At times we depend on our own limited knowledge, and find that we are frustrated. We might get back on track but the process isn’t always so peaceful.

The times that we rely on the written Word of God or on the voice of God, those are often the times when in our error, God may take us on what seems like the long way around, but it’s actually a short scenic route that brings us peace. 

Which makes me think of the age-old bumper sticker – “God is my co-pilot”. It really should read … “God, be my pilot”.

Gratefully HIS,

Jan