Good morning. Today is Tuesday, September 1st!

🥳 Congratulations on starting today with God, and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

— Exodus 13:17

Life is a lot like a road trip.

We all have somewhere we think we’re going and some idea of how we’ll get there. We make plans for relationships, careers, families, finances, and our future. In our minds, we’ve mapped out the route.

Then life happens.

There’s traffic. Construction forces a detour. A road closes. Sometimes what looked like the right road leads to a dead end.

That’s why we use a GPS. We can only see the road in front of us, while the GPS knows more about what’s ahead and can guide us when the route changes.

That’s a lot like following God.

The problem is, sometimes we get a little too confident and turn the GPS off. We think we can figure out the route ourselves. Other times, we’ve traveled the same road for so long that we get comfortable. We know every turn, so why would we need directions?

Then suddenly there’s a road closure we never saw coming.

We can do the same thing with God. When life is going according to plan, it’s easy to rely on our own understanding instead of His direction.

When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, there was actually a shorter road available. But Exodus 13:17 says God “did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.” God knew what was ahead, so He took them another way.

The longer route may not have made sense to Israel, but God wasn’t lost. He knew something they didn’t.

Exodus 13:21 says God went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night “to guide them on their way.”

That’s why Proverbs 3:5–6 tells us to trust the Lord and “lean not on your own understanding.” James 4:14 gives us the reason: “you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”

Keeping God as our GPS doesn’t mean there won’t be traffic, detours, delays, or road closures. It means we don’t have to figure out the new route alone.

So don’t turn the GPS off just because the road feels familiar. Stay in God’s Word. Keep praying. Keep listening. Be willing to follow when His direction differs from yours.

A familiar road can still change. A detour isn’t always a wrong turn. And a road closure doesn’t mean the journey is over.

We know the road we’ve traveled. God knows the road ahead.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: God, You are wise and know the road ahead.

Confession: Forgive us for relying on our own direction instead of Yours.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for always being there to guide us.

Supplication: Help us trust and follow You through every turn, detour, and roadblock.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“Waiting To See What God Does” by Benjamin William Hastings & Adohán King

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Thanks for letting us be a part of how you start your day with God.

See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God