“I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws.” (Psalm 119:59 NLT)

Direction determines destination, so that makes discerning life’s direction a critical matter.

Google Maps is my favourite driving directions app. Siri is nice, but she tends to misunderstand my southern accent. With Google Maps, I simply plug in my desired destination, and it takes me there. It even has a voice to guide me, so I don’t have to distract myself by looking at the listed directions.

But for Google Maps to guide me, I must put in my intended destination. Once, I plugged in Herdon, West Virginia, USA — where my brother and his wife then lived. We would not have arrived at our desired destination had I entered another destination. We arrived six hours later, but only because I had initially headed in the right direction.

The psalmist did what all people must do at some point in life: ponder their direction — a relationship with God, career, college, residence, investments, and relationships. All require going in a particular direction to reach the proper destination.

At age nine, I discerned the direction that I needed to go. That direction involved turning my life over to Jesus Christ, asking Him to forgive my sins, and committing to serve Him faithfully and unashamedly. For most of those years, I’ve headed in the right direction. When I have, I’ve always arrived at my intended destination: godly living.

The few times when I’ve taken a detour, I’ve found myself involved in pursuits and relationships that I should have left alone. Direction determines destination. But when I consulted my life map, God faithfully returned me to the route that led me back to my intended objective.

Heaven is my ultimate destination, and each day brings me closer. I may make a few more unintended detours, but God assures me that I’ll arrive safely. My heavenly guide is better than any app that I could download. He always gets me where I need to go if I take His advice and follow His directions.

Let your life destination entail loving and serving God with all your being.

Prayer: Father, guide us to Your destination for our lives and give us the fortitude never to veer from the route. Amen.

Copyright © 2023, by Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca 
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

Used with the permission of PresbyCan and author.