This morning my grandson was watching the movie Cars and Sally was explaining Route 66 to Lightening McQueen. She shared how the road used to follow the countryside, twisting and turning as it flowed along. Then the freeway was built and it cut through the land, no longer following its contours. She concluded with a statement something like this, “Instead of trying to make time on the road, people used to have a good time on the road.”
That little phrase caught my attention. I thought of how many times we try to find the freeway to get to what we want from the Lord. Our goal is to make time, to cut through, to get answers as fast as we can. Yet many times the Holy Spirit wants to take us on the scenic route.
I remember traveling across country when I was a little girl. Every summer our family took a trip somewhere to experience more of our land. Back in the dark ages we didn’t have air conditioning in cars so summer travel meant driving with the windows down. The hot air blew throughout the car and by the end of the day everything was covered with dust including our skin and our hair. The roar of the wind made conversation nearly impossible and we didn’t have iPods or earphones or anything else for that matter that made a sound loud enough to hear over the wind. So the whole trip was spent pretty much looking out the windows and watching the countryside.
Sometimes we played games to pass the time. If we were near civilization, we’d play the Alphabet Game and see who would be the fastest to find words starting with each letter of the alphabet. Out in the country, though, games consisted of looking for certain types of vegetation or rock formations.
At some point during the day we would stop to eat, usually a lunch my mom had packed since my folks weren’t big on fast food. My sister and I would run around the park where we stopped to burn up all the pent up energy we had accumulated. Sometimes we’d visit with other travelers and learn where they had been and where they were going.
Then we’d all get back in the car and continue on our journey. I didn’t realize it at the time but those trips left me with a rich appreciation of our wonderful country with its variety of landscapes and climates and delightful people. The journey was so much a part of the experience that actually arriving where we were headed was almost anticlimactic.
Now I often wonder if that isn’t how our Christian walk is to be. I believe sometimes the Holy Spirit loads us into a spiritual car that isn’t air conditioned. It’s not very comfortable and it seems the wind is always blowing. It’s hard to get anyone to hear us when we try to share what is happening in our lives. Occasionally we have wonderful moments of fellowship with other travelers and then it’s back on the road again.
The Holy Spirit never takes us on the freeway. His road is always winding through the twists and turns of life. Our goal is to arrive at our destination, so we want the fastest trip possible. But His goal is the journey, so He is in no hurry. I think the key is we can either complain about the trip or we can look out the window and begin to enjoy the scenery.
Are you seeking answers from the Lord and possibly feeling a little impatient that He isn’t a bit faster? Are you so focused on where you want to be that you aren’t enjoying where you are? Maybe when you get to where you’re going you will need what you’ve learned along the way.
A really interesting study is see in scripture how many things happened to people when they were on a journey. Paul was converted on the road to Damascus. The servants of Cornelius were on a journey to find Peter when he had his rooftop experience to prepare him to go to the Gentiles. Journeys are very important. Maybe today is the day to refocus and begin to see what the Lord wants to show you along the journey. One thing is for sure, He knows where you are going and He knows how to get you there. The important thing is, you need to let Him do the driving. He has a wonderful trip planned. Love, Marilyn
“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.” Exodus 13:21
“As [Paul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.” Acts 9:3
Thank you for the blog. A question for you? How hard was your stand towards the end? I know we feel as we are getting run over and rejected, but we are only doing as God has told us to do. The other woman and world just appear to win all the time. I know God is going to restore our marriage, but it just seems each day is always hard. Did it ever get any easier? I’m doing my best to try not to use tough love, but I seem to be taken for granted. Keeping your mouth closed and avoiding phone contact, tough love??
Thanks for the blogs the last couple of days, Marilyn. They have been such a blessing! I praise God for the wonderful work you and everyone at 2=1 are doing for the Kingdom! He is speaking to me through you. It is difficult standing for my marriage (that the world says is over through divorce), but I know what the Lord has told me by speaking to my heart and many other ways. God bless you all, and keep the blogs coming! Thanks.