A Guide Is Better Than a Compass

My Dear Friend John Skelly Responded to Last Fridays Post with An Even Better Concept

Photo by Derek Thomson via Unsplash

John wrote, “Just was inspired by your blog. love your take on how God is leading you and am challenged to let God lead me in the same ways. I am glad I have a Guide... it's even better than a compass...”

I was blown away. John has regularly given such clear pictures of the character of God, both in his life and also in his words. I wrote John back and asked him for more. He’s graciously allowing me to post his thoughts here:

I am pondering direction. I am of a generation that learned to fold maps correctly. Rand McNally was a friend on all trips. Still for all the study of routes and alternatives, the memorization of all the United States capitols, I remain directionally challenged. The compass held great promise. The problem is that I am convinced that whatever direction I am facing is north. That is challenging. And that is why if my wife and I ever participate on The Amazing Race she will handle the maps, I will accept the directions.

I think that is why I despise GPS too. It is pushy. It barks directions at me. It demands that I do what it tells me to do. My wife on the other hand is much gentler and allows me a U turn or two.

No compass? No GPS? So how do I get to where I am going? I need a guide.I prefer someone who has been there before and knows the way.

Jesus had a direction discussion with his friends in John 14. They were worried about direction too. Apparently, they didn’t know where they were headed. Thomas just blurted out, “How can we know the way?” Jesus tells them, “I am the way. The Truth, and the Life”( John 14:6)

Jesus doesn’t give maps or bark out instructions. He gives us Himself. Jesus is our guide. He is the Way. We can trust and follow him.

When my path is obscured, no compass, map or GPS will get me to where I am going.

It reminds me of the poem: The Gate of the Year: It resonates with me regarding direction and the unknown:

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“

Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”


And he replied:


“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.


That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”

The hand of God. Better than a compass. Better than a GPS.

Zooooooom!

We’re meeting as a staff on Zoom these days and my screen looks like this

Thank goodness there’s a “Stop Video” button because the combination of about a liter of coffee and about three and a half hours of zoom meetings is wreaking havoc on my bladder.

A few weeks ago this was surreal, now it’s starting to feel like the new normal. (Does that make Zoom the new black?) Of course, the larger meetings feel like I’m watching some weird version of the Brady Bunch. But I’m starting to get into the smaller ones. It is amazing to interact and even do some work. I’ve got weekly staff meetings, two weekly regional meetings, and a meeting that I’m administrating. On top of that we’re Zoom-ing with our small group on Sunday nights. Even though it’s choppy and stilted, and even though we tend to talk over each other accidentally, it is a measure of connection, and I’m grateful for it.

Having said that, yesterday I saw a friend! We talked for twenty minutes from a proper social distance (well it was more like 15 feet, so at least 2 times proper social distance). It was startlingly refreshing to have a real, live, face-to-face interaction. (Or should I say, mask-to-mask?!). There was no lag. The visuals didn’t get choppy, and the audio didn’t get garbled. It was beyond high definition and I think there’s something about proximity that makes a difference. Maybe it’s spiritual. Maybe it’s something having to do with all the nonverbal communication that’s happening, I don’t know. But with means something to me.

And this makes me grateful for those I am able to be with right now.

How a Pattern in Genesis Shows Up in My Life

There’s a pattern that’s repeated in the first chapters of Genesis, and I’m seeing that this same pattern still plays out in my life.

Rainbow Drawing by Alex Jackman via Unsplash

I believe God chose to tell us three stories to reveal the pattern to us.

The pattern goes like this:

1. God blesses

2. Humanity messes up

3. God explains the consequences

4. God gives hope for the future

The three stories that show this repeating pattern are the Fall of Humanity found in Genesis 3, The Flood found in Genesis 6, and the Tower of Babel found in Genesis 11. I’m not going to break out how the pattern plays out in each story in this post. (But maybe I will in a future one?) Instead, I want to show you how this pattern plays out in my life.

God Blesses

I could (and maybe should) go on and on about the countless blessings God has given me. Right now, I’m very aware of the blessings of good health, a home to shelter in, and a follow-me-invitation to participate with Him in His purposes on the earth.

This Human Messes Up

I could (but I will not on this blog) go on and on about the countless ways in which I mess up. But I will share this. I keep trying to earn my place with him. This less-than-productive month at home without my normal traveling and teaching routine has forced me to consider what value I add to the world.

God Explains Consequences

This attitude of earning my place has created a barrier between me and God. It suggests that what Christ did on Good Friday was not quite enough to justify me. Instead of relying on the cross, I’ve been thinking that it’s what I do for God that makes me worthy. He’s looking to be with me while I’ve been trying to work for Him.

God Gives Hope for the Future

This pandemic has forced me to relearn the rhythms of an undeserved grace. I believe he’s using this season to recalibrate my compass and point me towards the true north of rich relationship with him. All those rainbows in the windows and on the sidewalks are a promise for me that He is with me, available to me, and that one day we will be face-to-face forever.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

— Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30) in The Message

Reading, Listening, Watching

That title might sound like I’m doing something spiritual, but I mean it more literally, ha!

Here’s What I’m Reading Right Now

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

I picked this up a million years ago when it first came out because my friend Philter recommended it. I didn’t get past the first chapter. I think it was because I immediately saw that Miller is a million times better than me when it comes to writing. I found it again the other day and decided to try again. It is kind of hard to read a book about living a better story while I feel stuck on the couch eating cookie dough. But dang, that writing tho…

Multiply by Francis Chan

I’m reading this with my friend Sirvard in England. We read a couple chapters and then we discuss them via video chat. Francis Chan is amazing. Not just a great writer, but he’s somehow managed to make discipleship possible by following along in his book. Last week we got into the small subjects of Creation and the Fall of humanity. This week will be about Abraham and the Exodus. The discussions have been awesome.

Here’s What I’m Listening to Right Now

Peace by Bethel Music

This is wonderfully chill. Several songs are familiar, but arranged and performed in a way to bring a measure of calm to all this anxiousness. I’ve found myself tuning out the news and letting the amazing musicians and singers of Bethel wash over me. Peace indeed.

John Prine Essentials

I read that John Prine passed last week– grace and peace to his family and friends. I knew I knew his name, but I didn’t know his music. And so I called up an Essentials playlist on one of my walks this week. Which led to some repeat playing and some poking around in his catalog. Witty, folksy, and the kind of funny that can poke at sadness.

Here’s What I’m Watching Right Now

War of the Worlds for Free on Epix

This is a fun retelling of the classic story. I thought they were going to try to complete it in 8 episodes, but nope… they’re making seasons. This time the story is set in Europe, so a lot of it is in French with subtitles, swoon. Lots of tension, lots of jump scares (annoying), but dog robots that look like those ones from Boston Dynamics, only militarized.

The Banker on Apple TV+

This is a flat out good movie. I guess there’s some controversy around it… but not for the content. Great performances. Great writing. Well done.

Distancing Socially

Last night we met up with friends on FaceTime and it was almost normal

Photo: Chang Duong via Unsplash

I didn’t think to take a pic of our friends on the screen of the iPad that was propped up on the coffee table in front of us. So here’s a stock pic of friends, haha!

We met up in the early evening. Our family had just finished our stir-fry supper. Theirs was still slow roasting on the grill. We shared drinks and stories. We laughed and we talked about what we’re doing to stay sane. Both of our families have an adult daughter at home. The two of them bonded over how “horrible” it is to be stuck with their parents. We caught up on what was going on with the kids that are sheltering elsewhere. We laughed at each others jokes. We shared fears, and I think by doing so, made them a little more bearable. It wasn’t even an hour, but it meant so much to me to just be as together as we could be.

“Be good friends who love deeply…”

— Romans 12:10 (The Message)

Would You Rather Have the Maps App or the Compass Right Now?

I Bet You Wanna Choose the Maps App, Right?

iPhone Mockup: Jae-seong, Jeong via dribbble

Let me SHOW YOU WHY I THINK YOU SHOULD CHOOSE THE COMPASS.

See the Maps app is super useful if you know where you’re headed. It’s awesome to fire it up, enter a destination, and then let it give turn-by-turn directions. And I get it, a compass, doesn’t seem all that helpful, right? All it does is point north. What good is that?

* * * * * * *

Right now I’m under a stay-at-home order . I’m cooped up at home. I can get groceries, but that’s about it. I’m feeling an itch for things to get back to normal, but I don’t think things are going to be “normal” for quite a while. We all may be playing, “whack-a-mole” with COVID-19 for some time.  

My daily life is upside down to the point where my GPS is messed up. Things are changing, and I don’t know that any of us really know where we’re going yet. The Maps app can’t move us forward if we don’t know where we’re going.

But this is a perfect time for a compass.

This is the time for a personal compass of values that will help you know where true north is. Here is a picture of your compass:

Photo: Alex Grodkiewicz via Unsplash

Choose the compass. Read your Bible. Feed your faith. This compass will guide you through uncertainty, past anxiety, all the way to hope and a future. We here at YWAM San Diego/Baja have tons of opportunities for you to do just that. Soon we will be reopening our Discipleship Training Schools where you can take your first steps into a new future that’s headed towards True North.

Many thanks to Dr. Tim Elmore’s Habitudes for the Journey.

Visibility Zero

I’ve been under a stay at home order for weeks. (Or is it months?!) And I Don’t Know What’s Next…

Photo Cred: Kent Pilcher via Unsplash

I’ve settled into a routine, but it’s still not normal.

I’m getting up too early. I’m having my coffee and a Clif bar. I’m reading the Bible and praying with Kay Charlotte. I’m “going” to work and doing my thing… so there’s a new routine. But I’m getting a little stir crazy with all this social distancing. I’m starting to wonder, When are we gonnu be through this? And that gets me to asking, “What’s it gonnu be like when we do?” I can’t help but look at the horizon…

And I have near zero visibility.

Which increases my anxiety. Which makes me say “Hey Anxiety, take a number and get in line behind all my other fears and insecurities!”

I assume things won’t be the same. Maybe we’ll be wearing masks everywhere. (Which I am not excited about… my glasses fog up with every breath. Sheesh. Okay, I’m done whining— for now). Maybe our favorite pizza place Pizzo’s will close! What I want is to just go back to when I could meet a friend for coffee and we wouldn’t have to be afraid.

I’m not sure that I’m rated for this. That “rated” is pilot-talk for being certified for a type of aircraft. I’m totally certified for my old life. I felt like I knew what I was doing. I felt like I could do loop-de-loops, and even skywrite. But that’s when everything was visible and familiar. What’s next might require me to rely on instruments only. Navigation will have to be totally different. I’m going to have to rely on a new guidance system.

Okay, enough with the flight analogy. What I’m talking about is this: I’m fearful because I don’t know what it’s going to be like when we come out of this. We may be dealing with COVID for months or even a year or even two! New outbreaks might pop up. More stay-at-home might be required. How will I do my work?

As I look at all this uncertainty, I realize I need to lean further into God. His specific guidance for each step forward will be necessary. Part of me is scared that I’ll mishear or misunderstand or even do something prideful and try to navigate on my own. But part of me is excited. Isn’t this what I truly want, to hear God’s instructions, and then obey them?

Lord, show us the way.