8/31/26

1 Peter 2:25 NASB95: For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Have you ever been in the car with someone who argues with a GPS? It says, "Turn right in 100 feet," and they say, "No, I don't like that way." I will go two more red lights and then turn right. They sit for three minutes at the first red light, turn right at the second, and get stuck in road construction. They wait 5 minutes, then finally get through the road construction. The GPS says to turn left at the next red light, and they go straight and say, "No, I don't like that way," just as they are stopping at a school crossing because school has just let out. 5 minutes later, they make it through the school crossing, and GPS says to go straight, and they turn the blinker on. You immediately feel the urge to grab the wheel and say No more. You will listen and follow directions until we get there.

Sometimes I wonder: if they are not going to listen to it, why do they program it in the first place? Why hit navigate if they are going to do what they want?

Is this the way God feels about His children? Is He thinking, I have given them directions, and it will guide them directly to me, yet they want to argue with me. They, like sheep, want to follow the crowd through the wide gate, but I have a small gate for them, and I tell them to go down the narrow path. Yet they argue. They get stuck in the mud holes made by all the hooves, and I again say Follow me but they refuse to listen. It is a constant thing. Is God saying Why have they bought 5 copies of my Word when they refuse to read and follow it?

If this is how we act toward God and He says, "For you were continually straying like sheep," maybe we need to change. After all, He continues saying, "Now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls."

He will be pleased if we follow Christ, who says in John 10:11 NASB95, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

He also says in Philippians 4:7 NASB95 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jesus GUARDS and GUIDES (Shepherds) our souls if we will stop arguing and going our own way and instead return to Him. We do this by hearing His Word, following His Word, and serving as His Children in His Church.

Are we doing this, or are we constantly going our own way? Speaking for myself, if it weren't for the fact that He is omniscient, my life would cause Him to consistently recalculate my route.

If you are like me, let's stop arguing with our G.P. S. God's Perfect Strategy for our life and the population of His Kingdom.

Love Brother Scott