Map Reading Helpful - who knew?

Here's to hoping that our daughter is better with map than her mother!  Once Josh and I were leading a mission trip in Montreal, Canada for a youth group (Josh used to be a youth director in MN) and I was in charge of the map.  We were completely lost.  Josh finally looked over, took the map from my hands and turned it around.  I had been reading the map UPSIDE DOWN!  Boy was I ever embarrassed as our volunteers had been following us, making turns and all the while I was leading everyone in the complete WRONG direction!

Even when it comes to my GPS, I still need to know how to use the device in order to be able to get around.  As in all of life, if you are going to get somewhere, you need a plan and you need some tools.  I often make plans and have my tools (map/GPS) - yet how often am I really taking my plans before the Lord.  I do, yet I was convicted when I read this passage from Isaiah 30:

 ¹"Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD,"who carry out a plan, but not mine,and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit,

   that they may add sin to sin;
² who set out to go down to Egypt,
   without asking for my direction,
to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh
   and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!"

I was convicted because - although I have a good tool (I think the Bible is the best map/tool of all because in it is the living Word of God - it is active, it is applicable, it is so many things I won't list them all, but feel free to add your own thoughts about it in the comments), how often am I seeking out God in His word?

And when I am holding the map, I want to hold it "rightly."  I don't want to be holding it "upside down" - or reading it how I WANT to read it.  So I need to ask God to help me discern what it says.

As I journey in life I want to be a child of God who asks for directions and is not too stubborn or proud thinking I can "find my own way."  When I do that, I am taking refuge in myself or in whatever I may be settling in at the time.

So I guess I can no longer say - "I'm just not good at reading maps!" ha ha ha! :)