[Joel's Lessons] Out of Contact (Nov 6)

[Joel Warren]

Yesterday, I was out biking on the trail. When I go biking, I always carry the GPS on the bike. It allows me to see where I am, but it also gives me helpful information such as speed, time, and distance traveled. Also, sometimes when I’m out, I’ll use the GPS to find geocaches. While driving, I’ll use the GPS to get to the location of a trailhead, often without knowing the route ahead of time. When driving, and to some extent, while biking, accuracy doesn’t matter too much. Low accuracy while finding a cache, on the other hand, can have a bigger impact. While I was riding yesterday, I noticed that the GPS was not getting a very accurate signal. I could pass over the same section of trail and the track on the screen would show that I was 50 or 100 feet away from my track the first time through. When that happens while driving, and you’re in a city or somewhere that has multiple roads or ramps that run parallel to each other, the GPS might mark you as being on the wrong road, which may affect the directions. Like I said, I noticed quite a bit of inaccuracy yesterday. Also, while driving home, the satellite radio was cutting out a lot. Even though it was a clear day, it seems that all of my devices were out of contact with the satellites.

So, when are we out of contact with God? Like the satellites were probably up there and working fine, God is always there and always available. But, like my devices were not talking to the satellites due to whatever reason, we can often times quit praying and close our ears and eyes to God’s voice and displays of truth. At one point during my ride, I rode through an old railroad tunnel. It was short one that you could see right through, but it was long enough to lose satellite signal completely. So, in life, do we crawl into a tunnel and completely lose touch with God?

God is speaking to us and calling out to us. But if we have our ears plugged and hide from His presence, we will miss out on His blessings and the life that He has prepared for us. Like the GPS without a signal, if we lose contact with God, we will lose our way and not hear His direction for our life or His guidance in what path to take.

Fortunately, God is always there and always available. When we lose contact, it is not Him hiding. It is us hiding in a tunnel.

Psa 139:1-24 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. (2) Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. (3) Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. (4) For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. (5) Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. (6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. (7) Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (8) If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (9) If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; (10) Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. (12) Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (13) For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. (14) I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (15) My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. (16) Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. (17) How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! (18) If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. (19) Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men. (20) For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. (21) Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? (22) I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. (23) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: (24) And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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Posted By Joel Warren to Joel's Lessons at 11/06/2011 01:00:00 PM