"You will hear a word behind you, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right or to the left" (Is. 30:21, NASB).
I often travel.. I like to travel over the many different roads that there are. Some are paved, and make for quick, easy travel. Others are dirt, and muddy, making the going rougher. Some are superhighways, with many other people traveling the same way, affording me some companionship. Others can be long, lonely country lanes. But all are at least wide enough for two people, for I do not travel alone. Jesus travels with me.
Sometimes the road I am on seems to dead end, with a road crossing over it, and I have to make a choice. I ask my Companion, "Which way, Lord?" He replies, "Let's turn right." And so we do. Sometimes, though, I see someone else walking up beside me, and he turns left.
"Lord," I ask, "I thought You said to turn right?"
"I did."
I am puzzled. "Then why is he going left?"
"Because he's traveling a different route."
Sometimes I look over to the side and gaze into the ditch that lines the road. Something catches my eye, and I stop to investigate. I look and see some people sprawled in the ditch, and others laughing, seemingly without a care in the world. Often, I stand there too long, and the soft ground gives way under me. I find myself falling face-first into the ditch. So, I pick myself up and look around. I start to talk with the people there, and before long I've forgotten about my travels. Until I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I turn and find my Companion there. "Isn't it time we be going," He asks. I realize that I've left my Friend! "Oh! I'm really sorry, Lord. I--I--don't know...." I stammer, trying to find words.
Sometimes the road I am on seems to dead end, with a road crossing over it, and I have to make a choice. I ask my Companion, "Which way, Lord?" He replies, "Let's turn right." And so we do. Sometimes, though, I see someone else walking up beside me, and he turns left.
"Lord," I ask, "I thought You said to turn right?"
"I did."
I am puzzled. "Then why is he going left?"
"Because he's traveling a different route."
Sometimes I look over to the side and gaze into the ditch that lines the road. Something catches my eye, and I stop to investigate. I look and see some people sprawled in the ditch, and others laughing, seemingly without a care in the world. Often, I stand there too long, and the soft ground gives way under me. I find myself falling face-first into the ditch. So, I pick myself up and look around. I start to talk with the people there, and before long I've forgotten about my travels. Until I feel a tap on my shoulder.
I turn and find my Companion there. "Isn't it time we be going," He asks. I realize that I've left my Friend! "Oh! I'm really sorry, Lord. I--I--don't know...." I stammer, trying to find words.
But, He only smiles at me. "Don't worry, it's all right. You're forgiven."
"Lord, I've tried to climb out of here. but I'm just too tired from walking around. It seems like everyone has left me alone."
"Don't worry," He says reassuringly. And with His strong arms, He picks me up and climbs out of the ditch with me. He starts walking back down the road, still carrying me. He says to me, "You're not quite strong enough to walk by yourself yet, so I'll carry you for awhile, okay?" I am so worn out that I can only nod my head weakly. "Okay, Lord."
Eventually, He sets me on my feet again and lets me walk on my own, but remains close beside me to make sure I'm okay.
"Lord," I ask, "where are we going?"
He smiles again. "We're going home."
"How much farther is it?"
"It's not very far now."
And sometimes those pits are in the middle of the road, instead of along its sides! I try to go around it, but I stumble. I look at the Lord for help, and He shakes His head at me. "No, not that way," He says. "Let's go through it."
"But, Lord," I protest, "I can't climb down into that! I'll break my neck! And how will I ever get back out?" And, He only looks at me and smiles again. "Don't worry," He says. Then He picks me up in His arms and climbs down into the pit with me.
"Don't worry," He says reassuringly. And with His strong arms, He picks me up and climbs out of the ditch with me. He starts walking back down the road, still carrying me. He says to me, "You're not quite strong enough to walk by yourself yet, so I'll carry you for awhile, okay?" I am so worn out that I can only nod my head weakly. "Okay, Lord."
Eventually, He sets me on my feet again and lets me walk on my own, but remains close beside me to make sure I'm okay.
"Lord," I ask, "where are we going?"
He smiles again. "We're going home."
"How much farther is it?"
"It's not very far now."
And sometimes those pits are in the middle of the road, instead of along its sides! I try to go around it, but I stumble. I look at the Lord for help, and He shakes His head at me. "No, not that way," He says. "Let's go through it."
"But, Lord," I protest, "I can't climb down into that! I'll break my neck! And how will I ever get back out?" And, He only looks at me and smiles again. "Don't worry," He says. Then He picks me up in His arms and climbs down into the pit with me.
Sometimes, He climbs down slowly, giving me a chance to get prepared, and my eyes a chance to adjust. At other times, though, the wall is too steep. "Hang on," He says. Then, taking a small hop with me in His arms, we plunge down into the pit. The sudden darkness is overwhelming. After awhile, though, I get my bearings, as my eyes adjust. We start to walk toward the other side.
Often, there may be someone else in the pit, stuck in the mud. We walk over, and the Lord says to me, "Let's help him out. Remember when someone did the same for you?" And indeed I do. So, we help him out of the mire, and he begins to walk with us toward the other side. Finally, we make it, and slowly climb out of the pit.
"Thanks very much," our new friend says to the Lord and I. "Don't mention it," the Lord says with a smile. We continue to walk along together, talking about where we have been, and where we are going. Finally, my friend turns down another road, and it is the Lord and I alone again.
At times, the Lord points out people talking along the side of the road. "Why don't we stop and ask them if they would like to join us," He suggests. I hesitate, but then agree. "Well, okay, Lord." We go over and talk with them for awhile, and some of them decide to join us. Others, though, often laugh at them--and me. "Don't worry about them," the Lord says to us. And so, we continue on our way. In time, these companions also part from me, going their separate ways.
"Lord," I ask, "where are they going?"
He looks at me a little surprised. "Why, home, of course. They're just taking different routes." I am puzzled again, and ponder that for a moment.
"But, Lord, I thought this was the way."
He smiles a knowing smile at me, and says, "I am the Way. Walk with me in it." And eventually, as we approach our home, that golden city, I see all the people that I have met and crossed paths with. I look at the Lord, and He simply smiles at me again.
And then, I too smile and nod in understanding--and joy. I have finally reached the end of my travels on the roads of life.
Often, there may be someone else in the pit, stuck in the mud. We walk over, and the Lord says to me, "Let's help him out. Remember when someone did the same for you?" And indeed I do. So, we help him out of the mire, and he begins to walk with us toward the other side. Finally, we make it, and slowly climb out of the pit.
"Thanks very much," our new friend says to the Lord and I. "Don't mention it," the Lord says with a smile. We continue to walk along together, talking about where we have been, and where we are going. Finally, my friend turns down another road, and it is the Lord and I alone again.
At times, the Lord points out people talking along the side of the road. "Why don't we stop and ask them if they would like to join us," He suggests. I hesitate, but then agree. "Well, okay, Lord." We go over and talk with them for awhile, and some of them decide to join us. Others, though, often laugh at them--and me. "Don't worry about them," the Lord says to us. And so, we continue on our way. In time, these companions also part from me, going their separate ways.
"Lord," I ask, "where are they going?"
He looks at me a little surprised. "Why, home, of course. They're just taking different routes." I am puzzled again, and ponder that for a moment.
"But, Lord, I thought this was the way."
He smiles a knowing smile at me, and says, "I am the Way. Walk with me in it." And eventually, as we approach our home, that golden city, I see all the people that I have met and crossed paths with. I look at the Lord, and He simply smiles at me again.
And then, I too smile and nod in understanding--and joy. I have finally reached the end of my travels on the roads of life.
Jesus said in the Gospel of John, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me" (14:6). I think He left no doubt about the way to God. But, even for those of us who have come to Christ, the journey is different for each of us; both the journey to Christ, and the journey from that point on.
In his commentary on the life of Augustine, writer Richard Foster comments, "We today, in our preoccupation with the crisis of conversion, often forget the importance of the pilgrimage that precedes and follows conversion." Some of us come to Christ early in life, others much later. My father came to Christ only about two months before his death in 1994. Sometimes we wonder why God waited so long.
But, God is never silent. He is always moving, though at times
we may not see the movement. He is always drawing people to Himself. Yet, many reject His call, and die apart from His love and life.
What does this mean for the followers of Christ? It means that our journey has only just begun. As I've tried to illustrate, our walk with Christ is only complete when we reach heaven and the place He has prepared for us. In our darkest moments, in the pits of life, Christ is still there. And, when we fall into those pits, He goes down to get us. And sometimes, He finds it necessary to lead us through the pits in the middle of the road. But He never leaves us alone, and often He has to carry us, which He does very well.
Are you in one of those pits or valleys? Remember that Christ is carrying you, and do as the traveler in the story. Simply nod your head, and say, "Okay, Lord."
In his commentary on the life of Augustine, writer Richard Foster comments, "We today, in our preoccupation with the crisis of conversion, often forget the importance of the pilgrimage that precedes and follows conversion." Some of us come to Christ early in life, others much later. My father came to Christ only about two months before his death in 1994. Sometimes we wonder why God waited so long.
But, God is never silent. He is always moving, though at times
we may not see the movement. He is always drawing people to Himself. Yet, many reject His call, and die apart from His love and life.
What does this mean for the followers of Christ? It means that our journey has only just begun. As I've tried to illustrate, our walk with Christ is only complete when we reach heaven and the place He has prepared for us. In our darkest moments, in the pits of life, Christ is still there. And, when we fall into those pits, He goes down to get us. And sometimes, He finds it necessary to lead us through the pits in the middle of the road. But He never leaves us alone, and often He has to carry us, which He does very well.
Are you in one of those pits or valleys? Remember that Christ is carrying you, and do as the traveler in the story. Simply nod your head, and say, "Okay, Lord."
No comments:
Post a Comment