Last week June and I went to Pennsylvania for the memorial service of a friend, and we got an exercise in faith and following.

The plan was to land at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), rent a car, and drive a short distance to meet some friends for dinner. No problem…until I couldn’t get my phone to bring up GPS. How can there be no signal at a major airport!? I pulled around and walked up to the Avis counter to ask for a map. Remember those? The agent practically laughed at me. I logged onto a network in the rental car facility, pulled up the directions, took some screenshots, and walked back to the car, where, inexplicably, the signal I picked up in the building remained and we made our dinner meeting. That was Adventure #1. No GPS = nothing to follow, not a good thing.

But following GPS isn’t always easy either. Adventure #2 was more interesting. It’s after dinner. It’s dark, of course, and we’re heading to the Hampton Inn between Mt Joy and Lancaster. Take I-83 to York, then start heading east on US 30. No problem…until GPS started us over the river and through the woods on back roads. Prospect Road, Eby Chiques Road, Maibach Lane, really? We are on a wild goose chase, until, magically, up pops the Hampton Inn.

A look at the map explains what happened. It’s as if the GPS lady said, “Do you want to stay on main roads, or do you want to get to your hotel? Then follow me!”

June, especially, likes maps. She likes to see the big picture. Following Jesus, however, is more like GPS, turn-by-turn directions.

Lord, lead me as you promised me you would…tell me clearly what to do, which way to turn. (Psalm 5.8, LB)

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30.21, ESV)

And after saying this [Jesus] said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21.19, ESV)