Saturday, July 23, 2011

Congenital Compass Not Activated

Last week Abby and I made the long journey north to Iowa to visit family.  Flooding along the Missouri River forced me to take an alternate route.  I couldn't travel at maxed-out high speeds on interstate, but was forced to take mostly state and county roads.
In the middle of Nebraska, Jeff called to see how I was doing.  While I was on the phone with him I failed to realize the highway I was on went north, but I continued driving straight east.  After just a few miles I realized my error upon seeing the highway signs indicate I was no longer on 15 (or whatever highway I was supposed to be on).  I pulled over to look at a map and told Jeff what had happened.  I knew it was no big deal as I could just head north and intersect with the highway I was supposed to get on.

When I pulled over I happened to be at an intersection and the road was the highway number I needed to get on.  The sign didn't indicate which direction I was going, but I started off on it anyway.  Jeff asked if I were headed north.   "I don't know which direction I'm going," I told him.  "How do you not know which direction you're going?" he asked with some frustration and disappointment.  I'm so easily confused when traveling these "back roads."  They have curves and turns and I get turned around because my congenital compass has not been activated.  Apparently Jeff thinks there's some switch I can just flip and suddenly I will thereafter forever know which direction I'm going. 

I told him where the sun was and he informed me I was headed south.  Yes, I do know the sun goes down in the west and rises in the east, but it was nearly straight overhead at this time.  Regardless, with the help of my long-distance navigator I eventually headed north and reached my destination. 

The moral of this story?   Don't drive without your human or electronic GPS system.   I'm thankful God blessed me with a husband who has that inborn sense of direction. 

In life I don't want to rely on my fallible sense of direction, but on God's direction book:  His Word.  "Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end."  Psalm 119:33

How can I expect to know where God wants me be if I'm not studying His guidebook?

1 comment:

  1. "How do you not know which direction you're going?" This made me laugh. I have a perfect compass husband too. Great post and analogy! And I love that psalm. Blessings!!

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