Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. – Matthew 7:7
GPS (Global Positioning System) devices have become increasingly popular for aiding drivers in finding their way to their destinations. A while back, I purchased a smaller, hand-held model to keep me from getting lost while hiking in the mountains or driving on obscure mountain roads.
With the reduced cost and increasing availability of these devices, someone came up with an interesting activity known as “geo-caching.” Someone hides a small container in an interesting location, and then publishes the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates of the location of the object, or “cache.” For example, let’s say that cache GC1587H is hidden at N 420 25.792;W 1230 02.697. Those who are interested in obtaining the cache use their GPS units to guide them to those coordinates. The first person to locate the cache gets to keep it. It amazes me that my little device, which is about the size and shape of a cell phone, can receive signals from satellites high in the sky and guide me to within about fifteen feet of any spot on the earth!
As Christians (or those who wish to become Christians), we often find ourselves in the position of seeking specific answers from God. The Bible could be likened to a spiritual GPS unit, giving us the directions we need to obtain a spiritual “treasure.” However, we must be aware that while the Bible will point us in the right direction, it does not automatically apply itself to our lives. We might be close to the answer, but we still have to go that last “fifteen feet” to obtain the victory.
How exactly does one go about doing this? The specifics vary depending upon the need and the makeup of each individual. Maybe you need to consecrate more. Perhaps you need to put away a hindrance. Or, maybe God is just looking to see if you trust Him and are willing to wait a little while on Him. There are no secret answers, but just as with geo-caches, if you seek diligently and do not give up, you will ultimately achieve your goal. The sweet victory will be worth all the hard searching when you at last break through.