When the Map Changes

Focus Statement

God's call often comes before God's directions.

Point of Relation

Friends, I want you to Imagine you're already running late for an appointment.

You're taking the route you always take when suddenly your GPS says,

"Proceed to the highlighted route."

You roll your eyes. "Not today."

You ignore it, but a moment later it recalculates and tells you the same thing.

Frustrated, you finally give in.

A few miles later you discover the road you wanted to take is at a standstill because of construction.

What felt like an unnecessary detour actually kept you from being even later than you already were.

Sometimes following God feels a little like that.

It can even feel like God is moving the goalposts on us.

But what if God isn't changing the destination?

What if God is simply changing the route?

Things to Consider

Have you ever felt like God was moving the goalposts?

What if the destination never changed?

What if the route did?

And what if faith isn't about knowing the whole map...

but trusting the One who does?

What Scripture Says

When we hear the opening words of Genesis,

"Now the Lord said to Abram,"

many of us immediately picture a booming voice from heaven

or a blinding light that left no room for doubt. Maybe.

Just maybe... that's how it happened.

But maybe... just maybe... it wasn't.

Maybe it was a nudge.

A stirring he couldn't ignore.

A holy restlessness that kept growing

until he finally recognized that God was calling him somewhere new.

Scripture doesn't tell us how God spoke. It simply tells us that God did.

Then notice what God says.

God doesn't hand Abram a map

or explain every turn along the journey.

God simply says,

"Go... to the land that I will show you."

Not have shown you.

WILL show you.

God's call often comes before God's directions.

The writer of Hebrews looks back on that moment

and says that Abram "set out, not knowing where he was going."

That's because faith isn't having all the directions before taking the first step.

Faith is trusting the One who calls,

even before the whole path comes into view.

What This Means for You

Maybe you've been waiting for God to hand you the whole map before you'll move.

Abram never received the map.

He received the invitation.

Maybe your next step isn't understanding everything.

Maybe it's simply saying "yes" to the next thing God places before you.

What This Means for Us

Friends, God never promised not to change the direction.

God only promised the destination—

and God's continued presence to get us there.

If we already knew every step,

faith wouldn't be necessary.

So when the map changes—

and it will—

our question can no longer be, "God, where are you?"

Instead, it becomes, "God, where are you leading us now?"

Because every God beginning isn't found in having the whole map.

It's found in trusting the One who has always known the way.

Amen? Amen.

Written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of ChatGPT (OpenAI).