Pastor Larson’s Corner: Forgiving guidance
During my recent travels I rented a car in each city I visited. Fortunately, I brought my GPS along and used it to guide me through the unfamiliar streets and highways I encountered each day. Every once in a while, however, I would miss a turn because I wasn’t in the correct lane. When I did, the woman’s voice on my GPS would be silent for a while as I went down the wrong road, and then she would simply say, “In 2.5 miles make a U-turn.” Soon, I was back on the correct road and safely on my way to my destination.
Each time this happened, I thought about how forgiving the woman giving me directions was. I know she was a robot, but there was never any scolding about not paying proper attention or doing something dumb. She just paused and started the process of getting me back on the right track. It made me think about the fact that our forgiving God treats us exactly the same way.
Making wrong turns in life happens to every one of us. We lose our way from time to time and find ourselves going down the wrong roads. Perhaps they are roads that lead only to a dead end or worse. At times like this, we can be assured that God forgives us and then helps us get back on the right track again. Just knowing I had my GPS to guide me helped me relax and enjoy my winter travels. In the same way it helps me to know that I have a forgiving and loving God who stands ready to lead and guide me in the way of light and life. It helps me live life to the fullest knowing that no matter how many wrong turns I make along life’s road, God will be there to lead me home.
Pastor Larson’s Corner is written by Jerry Larson and appears weekly in the Norwegian American Weekly.
Pastor Jerry Larson retired to his cabin in Zimmerman, Minn., after 39 years in parish ministry for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 2011 he published a book entitled “Speaking the Word Freely: Writing with purpose, preaching with power.” Contact him at jerlarson@visi.com
This article originally appeared in the May 1, 2015, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
