“Enable Location Services?” It seems that almost every app asks me that same question. While for some of these apps, like my maps, I know it’s because they want to know how to direct me, for others I’m pretty sure it’s because they want to know how to sell me. Either way, locations services is a pretty big deal in the mobile world.

Realized this morning, while reading in Hebrews, that location services can be a pretty big deal when it comes to spiritual things as well.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

(Hebrews 12:22-24 ESV)

Better . . . that’s the underlying theme throughout Hebrews. Better revelation . . . better covenant . . . better Priest . . . better sacrifice. And this morning I read about a better hill.

The old hill couldn’t be touched. Like literally! No touching it! No living thing was to touch the holy hill. If they did, man or beast, they were to be put to death. A blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and a tempest enveloped it as the holiness of God descended upon it. The sight of it was so terrifying that even Moses, the man who talked with God face to face (Ex. 33:11), said of it, “I tremble with fear” (12:18-21).

But . . .

There it is again, that glorious word, “But!”

But that isn’t the hill we’ve come to. Allow your divine GPS, God’s Perfect Spirit, to enable your heavenly location services and you’re reminded of the better place to which you have been called. To a hill known as Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.

Far from cowering in fear beneath its shadow, we’re invited to draw near in full assurance of faith. For there, instead of darkness and gloom, is a joyful gathering of countless thousands of angels. There we find our people, the assembly of the firstborn. Those who have been enrolled in heaven. Their names written in the book of life (Rev. 20:15). Their table reserved for the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9).

Rather than being prohibited from touching the hill because His holiness abides there, we are beckoned to boldly approach God’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). Not in fear of the One who is the judge of all, but confident that our judgment has been born in full forever by His all-sufficient provision — the offering of His Son for our sin.

And thus, we join the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Made perfect not because of who we are or what we’ve done, but only because of who His Son is and what He has done — Jesus, the mediator of new promise. Jesus the One who offered a blood sacrifice so superior to anything offered under the old covenant that sins are forgotten (Heb. 9), put away as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).

Saint, are your divine location services enabled? No matter where you are this morning, no matter what your starting point, this is the hill to which we have come, and it is the hill to which we are going. This is our destination.

Sure, there might be some wrong turns along the way . . . some slow traffic . . . some heavy hauling . . . some “re-routing”. But remember this, where we are going to is where we’ve already come to — to the city of the living God, a city on a hill. A better hill based on a better promise because of a better sacrifice through an eternal loving Savior.

Sometimes, you need to refocus on where you’re going in order to know where you currently are. Praise God for His word, His divine location services.

All because of His abundant grace. All for His eternal glory.