northpoint notes

I had the privilege of sitting along the shores of Lake Michigan last week. It was not great beech weather but even with cool breezes blowing it was good to sit and reflect and be refreshed.

When I first looked out over the Lake it was so calm, it looked like a giant sheet of tinted glass. You could see the reflection of clouds and of buildings that were perched high on the sandy banks. The only movement on the water was an occasional boat or a sea gull dipping the tip of its wing. Just watching the still water had a calming effect and I was reminded of Psalm 23, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

Later in the week, I sat in the very same spot along the shore of Lake Michigan. Now there were 3-4 foot waves breaking on the sand. There were white-capped waves as far as eye could see. There was a chill in the air and I thought how different it was from the day before. I wondered what it would be like to be in a boat on these waters. It would certainly be more challenging than the day before. I thought of the disciples rowing in the middle of a storm while Jesus slept in the hull of the boat.

My time on the beach was intentional. I had gone there to be alone – well, not exactly alone – I went to spend time with God – to be quiet – to listen. I sat for a long time watching the waves, praying, asking God to speak to me. There was nothing – no audible voice, no whisper, nothing. I thought perhaps the Lord was just pleased that I was willing to be quiet and rest for a while.

Then, call it an impression, it seemed as though the Lord was saying to me, “I am in the storm. I am in the calm but I am also in the storm. There are seasons in ministry, ebbs and flows, times of smooth sailing and times of rough waters but I am present in both. The presence or absence of storms does not signal my presence or absence. I am there in both.”

I needed to hear that. Sometimes I forget that He is in this boat with me and He will either calm the waters or He will simply get me safely to the other side. Just as I quit trying to hear some profound word and began to relax in Him, He spoke the words I needed to hear.

I don’t have one of those GPS units. I want one but haven’t taken the plunge. I am amazed at the information they provide. My son has one and it seems like most of my colleagues have them – even some of the more unlikely ones. I suppose if I traveled a bit more I would have splurged by now. I will eventually justify buying one. For now, I rely on web-sites, paper maps and memory to get me around town and around the country.

I was reminded recently the first GPS system was recorded in the Bible. The children of Israel had the perfect GPS. There was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When either one moved, they moved. They didn’t have to worry about routes or maps or even a destination. They simply needed to be close to the cloud and the fire.

The modern day GPS then has a limitation. It is dependent on the owner having an idea of where he wants to go. The GPS can tell him where he is and can tell him how to get to his destination but it can’t tell him what the destination is. With Israel, God had determined the destination and promised to take them. They had descriptions of the destination – land flowing with milk and honey – but no map to follow. Their only hope was to stay close to the cloud and the fire.

Perhaps there is a lesson in all of that. Perhaps we need to spend less time figuring out where we are going and asking God to take us there and more time just hanging out with God and seeing where He takes us. I like planning and plotting and laying out plans but I think I want to pay a bit more attention to this personal GPS who can lead us to where He wants us to go.