Buffy the GPS

My Uncle Doug's compass from his Boy Scout Set circa 1930s


















A few years back, a colleague and I rented a car while on a business trip. The car came with a Global Positioning System (GPS). The GPS had several different voices used to give you directions. We cycled through the voices and settled on a calm soothing female voice, which I named Buffy. We programmed the coordinates of our corporate headquarters (the only address we could remember) into our 21st Century compass to see how well she would be able to direct us. We knew that we would be driving passed our headquarters on the way to our hotel, and decided mess with Buffy’s head. As we approached the intersection where the street we were on intersected with the street our company headquarters is located on, Buffy said in her soothing voice, “Change into the right hand lane and turn right at the next intersection, in .25 miles.” As we approached the intersection Buffy stated, “Prepare to turn right now!” in a very anxious voice. As we blew through the intersection, without turning right, Buffy returned to her soothing voice and said,”Resetting coordinates” and began talking us through how we can get back on track by taking the next right and then another right – basically walking us around the block and back to our headquarters. Again we ignored her soothing and sometimes anxious advice, her prompting to get back on track and to the ultimate destination that we’ve told her we wanted to go. Again and again we ignored her, wondering how she could get us back on track, and time and time again Buffy would calmly reset our coordinates. While this might seem like a story of a couple of rubes in the big city, who are more tired than they’re willing to admit, and really should get a life, it’s also an example of God’s compass in our life, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, in a quite still voice, prompting us along life’s path, trying to direct us to the destiny God has planned for us. As I reflect on my life, I can’t help but wonder, have I followed the Holy Spirit’s prompting? Should I have explored music as my life’s work, or possibly teaching?
Am I on track or have I missed his quite prompting, & resetting coordinates to get me back on track? It might be that I won’t know the answer to this question until the time where I’m with him in heaven. My prayer is that I will hear his voice, coaching me towards the destiny that God had laid out for me.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:25-27 NIV