Musings from the Pastor’s Desk for May 3, 2026

Finding Our Way with God’s GPS

When we are on the road and get lost, we can rely on our GPS to get us back on track. When we make a wrong turn, a voice corrects us and tells us where to go. Today, it’s virtually impossible to become lost.

What do we do when we have lost our way, feeling hopeless, anxious, and not sure where to turn? In Sunday’s gospel lesson from John, Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled, I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” Jesus is speaking to the anxious disciples who don’t know where to go when their path forward feels unclear or even impossible. Jesus is the way.

Much of our life can feel like we are trying to make a way where none is obvious. We face decisions about health, family, finances, and vocation. We navigate grief, fractured relationships, and seasons of doubt. Sometimes the road ahead disappears entirely, and we’re left asking, “Where do we go from here?”

In our daily lives, we rely heavily on GPS to guide us. We enter a destination, and step-by-step directions appear. When we miss a turn, it calmly recalculates. When traffic blocks the way, it reroutes us. There’s comfort in knowing that even when we’re off course, we’re not lost.

Jesus offers something deeper, what we might call a Holy GPS. Our Holy GPS begins with trust in the destination. Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places… I go to prepare a place for you.” The journey of faith is not aimless wandering; it has a promised end rooted in God’s presence. Even when the road is hard, we trust where it leads.

Our Holy GPS depends on relationships, not just information. Unlike a device that gives directions from a distance, Jesus walks with us. “If you know me, you will know my Father also.” The guidance we receive is grounded in knowing Christ through prayer, scripture, and community, and not just following abstract instructions.

Our Holy GPS includes course correction through grace. We will miss turns. We will make choices that lead us down difficult roads. Yet Jesus does not abandon us. Like a patient guide, he calls us back, redirects us, and continues to lead us forward. Grace is God’s way of recalculating without condemnation.

Finally, our Holy GPS is empowered by faith in action. Jesus tells his disciples that those who believe in him will do “greater works.” Following Christ is not passive; it means stepping forward in trust, loving, serving, forgiving, and witnessing, even when we don’t have the full map in front of us.

Making a way in life is rarely straightforward. But Jesus does not hand us a map and send us off alone. Jesus gives himself to us, inviting us into a loving relationship with him. Jesus becomes the Way who walks beside us, steadies our troubled hearts, and leads us toward life.

So, when the road ahead feels uncertain, turn on God’s GPS. Listen for that steady, guiding voice. Trust the destination. Stay close to the Guide, and remember, even when you feel lost, you will be led home.

Come worship with us Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 10:30 AM or on Facebook Live. Come to Hope using God’s GPS or the one on your smartphone. Both will take you there.

Peace+

Pastor Eric