November 18: World GIS Day (Geographic Information Systems)

 

November 18:  GIS Day (Geographic Information Systems)

Be amazed.  Be very amazed!  There is a satellite, miles above us, orbiting the earth, that is able to find and track your phone, and tell you within a few feet exactly where you are and where you need to go. 

 Every time we use our GPS function, we are using GSI.  It is called “the science of where.”  The company leading the way in creating software and applications that help us navigate the world is ESRI.  GIS Day was established in 1999 by ESRI President and Co-Founder Jack Dangermond after he had been inspired by Ralph Nader (an American political activist, author, lecturer, lawyer, and presidential candidate, noted for his involvement in consumer protection) to do so. 

My wife will be the first to tell you, she does not have a great sense of direction.  She will often point right and say “left.”  She marvels at my capacity to know which direction we are going whenever we drive.  As keen as that ability is, it offers little in terms of finding my way in life.  For both of us, and you, we need a spiritual GIS.  We need a resource that will reliably tell us where “true north” is, and how best to get from point A to point B.  Should I go left, or right?  Stop?  Go?  

Did you know that God’s word says a great deal about directions?  Go ahead and do a phrase search for “to the right or to the left.”  In almost every case, the reference is connected to the one thing that will keep us on track, keep us moving in the right direction:  God’s commands.  An entire Psalm is devoted to helping us find the right path, Psalm 119 (also the longest Psalm).  

The point is this.  No system exists that will tell us plainly, “take the next left” or “turn right in 500 feet.”  But the only way to stay on track, to navigate this painful, delightful world, is the Word of God.  It contains God’s commands, and, more importantly, it reveals God Himself.  It is a common refrain of this devotional, but it bears repeating.  WE MUST ALL BECOME STUDENTS OF GOD'S WORD.  It is the ONLY resource that we can count on to help us get our bearings and know which path to take.  Read it, daily.  Study it.  Share it.  Memorize it. Meditate on it.  As marvelous as that little satellite is, orbiting the earth, miles in the sky, it pales by comparison to the Word of God.  Today, renew your commitment to God’s word, and fire it up!  Listen as God’s Spirit prompts you--“Recalculating.  Take the next right.”    

November 10: Forget-Me-Not Day

November 10:  Forget Me Not Day

Forget-me-nots are beautiful flowers.  Their petals blossom is pastel colors that include more than 50 different species. Forget-me-not Day originated with World War I, when American soldiers would return from the war wounded. These veterans came home at rates far higher than expected, and there were very few organizations and services available for those wounded in the war. Because of the massive influx of wounded warriors, Judge Robert S. Marx, a decorated World War I veteran, founded Forget-me-not Day in 1920 to help remind people of the sacrifices made during World War I, raising funds for disabled veterans through selling flowers, specifically forget-me-nots. In addition, he helped establish the Disabled American Veteran’s Organization which survives to this day.

For those of us who live in the USA, we are fond of saying that “freedom isn’t free,” meaning that our freedoms and many of the freedoms that other countries enjoy were paid for with the lives of our fallen soldiers.  One pundit once remarked that if we were serious about the Nobel Peace Prize, we should award one to the US military.  I believe he is correct.  Fewer organizations in the history of the world have done more to promote and protect freedom than our military.

As Veteran’s Day approaches, we would do well to remember the words of 1 Timothy 2:  “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.…” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).  Do you see the connection between government and the ability to live in peace?  

Don’t be confused.  This passage is not an appeal to be left alone to do our own thing.  The peace that we seek is a means to a very specific end--To live godly lives, to the end that people might be saved.  Our military has bled and died for that freedom, for that peace, to that end.  Let’s not waste it.  I urge every reader to pray for our government, for our military, and for our veterans.  I urge every believer to embrace the freedom we enjoy to advance the Kingdom and share the gospel with others. Forget-me-nots are inexpensive and hearty.  Consider planting some to remind you of this day, and the freedoms that we enjoy, to the end that God may be glorified by those freedoms.