I will be the first to admit that my post today isn’t deeply spiritual and it probably won’t have any points that really make lightbulbs go on in your head. In fact, I’m guessing that most of you have already, in one form or another, had these same thoughts. But, that being said, I’m still going to share it with you because it’s what is rattling around in my brain.
One of our daughters lives about 30 miles from us and there are a few different routes we can take to get there. But, more often than not, we have a particular route we usually use because the road is a little straighter and a little less “hilly”, so our speed can stay more constant.
Last week I headed towards her home to watch my adorable, brilliant and absolutely amazing three grandsons (you knew I had to brag a little!), while our daughter had an appointment. As I was driving, I remembered that one of the other routes to her home has lots of hills and curves…but I figured it might be a more beautiful route to take with the leaves changing in color. So, I decided to throw caution to the wind and take the more scenic road.
It did not disappoint me. Several areas of the road had lots of trees on both sides and they appeared to encompass the road. The colors were so vibrant and I found myself in awe of God’s creation that was all around me.
Of course, the reward for seeing nature in all of its beauty came with a price. I had to drive a little slower. I had to be much more careful maneuvering the curves just in case someone was coming around the bend from the other direction. The hills had to be taken more carefully too because there was no way for me to see what was on their other side. But I was willing to make these concessions…to be rewarded with seeing God’s handiwork.
As I was thinking about this later, I realized how much being a follower of Christ can be like my drive that day. I think so often, there is more than one path to get to a destination. Now I don’t mean there is more than one way to get to our heavenly destination. Only those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will spend eternity with Him and there are no other routes to get there.
I’m thinking about the multiple paths we can choose in life while we are still breathing on this earth and serving Him. I often have the choice to pick the easy route. I can do just the bare minimum…making sure I never ruffle any feathers or stand up publicly for my Biblical convictions. I can keep to myself and just worship Christ in nature, instead of making it a priority to worship Him with my brothers and sisters in the faith. I can do just enough to get by so that Satan won’t bother me too much…because I surely won’t be a threat to him.
Will I still end up spending eternity with my Jesus? Yes, I will. But I have to wonder what beauty I will miss seeing because I made the choice to take the easy route. What unexpected blessings will I fail to see because I didn’t take the journey with more hills and curves? What might be waiting for me just over those hills or around those curves, that would just take my breath away…but because I feel the need to be “safe”…I’ll never know?
Hunter S. Thompson once said, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming – Wow, what a ride!” I don’t know about you, but I can feel my heart beating and my blood pumping just reading these words! That’s how I want to “land” in eternity and I want to experience everything my Jesus has for me until I get there.
How about it? Will you join me as we forge ahead…making sure to follow His road map instead of ours? I sure hope so, because it will be a lot more fun with you along for the ride!
“I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.”
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.”
Psalm 146:2
No comments:
Post a Comment