by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
I’m on my third car GPS unit. The first unit died a natural death after almost two years of non-stop use. The second unit died an unnatural death after six months, being deemed a defective product and promptly replaced by the manufacturer. I’m now on unit #3 and so far it works perfectly.
My car GPS units all have the same name – Jeannie, meaning Genie. GPS provides magical guidance when driving so I think of it as a genie in the display “bottle.” Even if I know where I’m going I often use Jeannie to help me find different routes, depending on how much time I have, how voluminous the traffic is, and how the weather is.
Recently I used Jeannie to get to someplace new. The paper map provided with the meeting materials gave me an idea where the address was located, so when Jeannie started giving me directions and was routing me via an expressway, I said, “No, Jeannie, I don’t want to go that way.” I didn’t turn where she said to turn. That forced Jeannie to take me a different route and eventually I got to the desired destination – but not before I said, “No, Jeannie, I don’t want to go that way,” a few times.
The sunny day flooded the car with warmth and instantly I had the sense that God was very near. Actually, God never leaves – it’s my own sense of awareness that brings God to mind or not. Just like the car GPS unit that always knows exactly where the car is at any point, God’s the same way and knows exactly where I am at any point.
How many times have I said to God, “No, I don’t want to go that way,” and I go it alone with or without ultimate success? Would things turn out better or differently if I put myself fully in the hands of spiritual GPS?
[Sr. Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]