We have a GPS in our car that I use ALL the time.  I love the fact that I don’t have to think about all the turns I have to make, I can just punch in the address and follow the directions.  Our 3 year old, Allie, always reminds us to turn on the “Calculator” when we get into the car. She calls the GPS a calculator because when I miss my turn (which happens frequently, I hate to admit, even with a GPS) the ladies voice says…”recalculating”.  I can’t remember what it was like before the GPS.  We actually had to map out our course and look out for road signs!!  Whew man, so much work!!!

I think a lot of people living life are traveling without a GPS.  They are just out “driving around” without any real sense of where to go or (certainly) how to get there.  We as humans have such a desire for our lives to end up with purpose and meaning, yet many are living their lives frustrated with the feeling of going around and around in circles only to end up back to where they started.  They don’t want to “pay the price” for a system that would help them.

We are in need of a GPS system for our lives, a GOD-Positioning-System to make sense of the twist and turns that this journey of life takes us on.  Without a “system” to point us in the right direction, we might as well live life by rolling the dice for the decisions we have to make.  We, as followers of Christ, are called to be led by the Holy Spirit, the ONE who leads us in ALL truth.  We don’t have to live life with a fear of “doing the wrong thing” or “messing  things up” when we are in step with Spirit.  It’s only when we turn off the GPS (God-Positioning-System) that things get crazy.  Our pride wants to turn the GPS off and take matters into our own hands (men you know what I’m talking about).  Sometimes in life we don’t want to stop and ask for directions, because we figure…..we got ourself in this mess we surely can get ourself out.  But life is BIGGER than us, and sometimes we get pretty lost without the light to shine down and illuminate our path.  Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  God’s Word lights the way to our decision making, not our bank account.  God’s Word lights the way to our calling, not our education.  God’s Word lights the way to our destiny, not Oprah’s “word” for our life or someone else’s opinion.  So what is your system? How are you turning on your GPS and letting God talk to you about the turns and course you need to take? Is the volume turned up so when God speaks you hear it? Do you only turn the GPS on for BIG TIME trips in your life, or do you use it for the daily routes you take as well?

I know for sure that when I arrive at my final destination in life, I want to KNOW that it was the right course.  Francis Chan said…“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” I want to succeed in the things that MATTER.  I want to KNOW the course God has for my life and live it.  So how do you do that? Well here is a good start…

1. ASK God – James 1:5 says…”If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Seems simple enough but boy do we complicate it.  Start by asking God to reveal the steps and direction for your life.  Just like you ask what the address is before you travel, you need to ask God for the address for your life.  Cool thing about a GPS is you don’t have to know every turn, just the NEXT one coming up.  When you are faithful at every turn you will stay right on target.  Ask God for your next step and BE faithful to DO IT.

2. PLAN Your Course – Proverbs 21:5 says…”The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” The Bible tells us to plan and plot our course.  Jesus said…doesn’t a builder sit down and count the cost and plan before he starts to build? Doesn’t a king come up with a battle plan before going out to war? Of course they do, so we SHOULD too.  In the book of Habakuk, God told Habakuk to write down the vision and make it clear.  We need to take what the Lord is showing us, write it down, and chart a course.  The Lord will direct us even if we take a wrong turn.  That is what is awesome about a GPS, it recalculates and get’s us back to where we need to be if we ever get off course.  Get a plan for your life and spend time each day living that plan.  Don’t be like many people who are just taking a drive wasting gas, be intentional and missional.

3. ENJOY The Ride – Romans 15:13 says…”May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Life is a highway, I want to ride it all night long, do do, do do do do…There are going to be bumps, and hills & valleys on the journey, but – for crying out loud – enjoy the ride.  Have you ever gotten on a roller coaster with someone that was willingly terrified? You’re thinking…then why did you wait in the 4 hour line to ride this thing if you are SO miserable?….Don’t spend your time complaining and being negative. THERE’S NO POINT!!! IT DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING!!! Just embrace the journey and live it to the fullest.  When you put your focus on what you do have, not on what you don’t have, then life starts to become a lot more clear.  Don’t get out of focus on the wrong things. It only makes a blurred picture of reality.  Let your attitude be that of Christ.  I doubt Jesus walked around complaining about every little thing in life.

So in conclusion…let’s turn on the GPS in 2012, and get a system to ensure our lives are heading in the God direction.