GPS Message: Recalculating
By Pastor Ben

“There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
                            (Luke 15:10)

Beginning in 2011, many GPS manufacturers decided to do away with the “recalculating” message on their devices. It seems the companies received too many complaints about the GPS voice calling out the driver’s mistakes — er, I mean “alternate routes.” Drivers sent in comments like these:

I know I missed the exit. And then my GPS announces “recalculating!” Don’t rub it in and give my family reason to get upset with me. We all know I messed up!

I went off course on purpose to get something to eat. I knew what I was doing. Stop telling me I was wrong!

I’m tired of constantly hearing “recalculating!” It’s too much, too often. I’m hearing it in my sleep!

When we veer from God’s direction, we don’t like being reminded of it either. Sometimes we deliberately disobey. We know we’re headed along the wrong route, but we continue anyway. Other times, we don’t do it intentionally. It just happens. Our sinful decisions come so rapidly and often, we’re tired of hearing about them. But we do need to hear about them. We do need to recalculate. In love, our Lord will always encourage us to rethink our decisions when we’re headed off course.

David certainly heard that message. In Psalm 32, he recounts feeling the Lord’s heavy hand on him, the weight of guilt. God reminded David again and again to recalculate. Then, when David did turn to the Lord and away from his sin, the Lord forgave him and restored the joy of his salvation.

We may not always like being reminded of our sin, but God loves us too much to stop. As we grow in the gracious truth, we find that we want Him to shed light on our sin because it points us to Jesus. The forgiveness He earned on the Cross is always ours, no matter how much “recalculating” is necessary.

As we set our path, our joy comes in following God’s will, ways, and direction — which are always best.

PRAYER STARTER:
Dear God, in the midst of my sins, the Holy Spirit has brought me to repentance. In Jesus’ name, forgive me for . . .