Lost? Set your GPS (The Story - chapter 6)

I hate being lost, especially when I'm supposed to be somewhere at a specific time.  I grow more and more frustrated with my GPS, her name is Siri, and frantically scan the roads looking for familiar signs.  I panic because I think I've missed a turn, because nothing looks familiar, because I think I'm being misled.  GPS is great, but as apple users found out a few years ago - Siri doesn't always take you where she is supposed to.

The Israelites felt like God was doing that. They were wandering around in the wilderness of Sinai and they complained about the food service.  They sent in 12 spies to get a sneak peak at the land that God was giving them and they complained that the enemies were too big.  They didn't like where their God Positioning System had led them.  They would have rather been in Egypt where they were slaves!  At least there, they said, we had food and drink. We knew what to expect!  "We can't go in and take over that land.  Let's go back to Egypt."

They had forgotten where they had come from.  And even more than that, they forgot what God had done to bring them out. They quickly forgot God's powerful works on their behalf. They forgot how God had showed himself to be their Savior and their Father.

And they forgot where they were headed.  They were headed to the promised land, a land that their spies told them was a land flowing with milk and honey.  And even more than the destination they forgot who was going to bring them there.  They took their eyes off of God's promise to bring them into this land.  They forgot that God could and would do what he had promised.  They forgot that God was still their Savior and their Father.

And they forgot why God was doing what he was doing; they forgot God's purpose in all of this.  They were God's chosen people with a purpose bigger than the inhabitation of the land of Canaan.  They were God's chosen people through whom God had promised, "The Seed will come from you to crush the Serpent's head."

They forgot God's past works for them.  They forgot God's promised works for them.  They forgot God's purpose for them and through them.

How does this happen to you?  How do you forget God's past works in your life?  When do the enemies of the land seem bigger than the God who saved you from sin?

How do you forget the promise of God's future to you?  When do the enemies of the land and the challenges before you seem bigger than the promises God has given you?

How do you forget your purpose in this world?  When are you tempted to forget that you too are God's chosen people to proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light?

It's so easy to do.  And so often it happen.

So, set your GPS to the works of God.  He's redeemed you from sin, death, and the Devil.  He's made you his own child, holy, chosen and precious to him.  Set your GPS, your eyes, on the promises of God.  He has promised, most of all, to rescue you from your bondage to decay, your bondage to the evils of this world and bring you into his eternal kingdom.  Set your GPS, your faith, on the purpose that God has given you.  You're here as a witness to the marvels of God's grace so that others will marvel at it too.

Set your GPS on the words, works, and promises of God's Word and you won't get lost because his Word is a lamp for your feet and light for your path (Psalm 119:105).

Here’s how you can get ready for Sunday's Bible study:

• Read The Story, chapter 6.

• And/or Read complete sections about the wandering of the Israelites in Numbers 10-14, 20-21, 25, 27; Deuteronomy 1-2, 4, 6, 8-9, 29-32, 34.

• Answer the study questions below.  Write down any additional questions you have.

• Listen to sermon podcast from Crosswalk Lutheran that is addressed to this chapter of The Story: http://www.crosswalkphoenix.com/worship/message-series/the-story.aspx

• Fill out the sermon notes as you listen to the podcast: (same web address)