The journey.
Sometimes it feels fresh and revitalised. You might have come across something about Jesus that has a profound impact on your life. That initial approach to life is almost wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. What can you do applying this new insight into Jesus? How will it go when you do so? All those marvelled minds full of wonder and awe. Those are not exclusive experiences for people new to the journey – it can be something you can get with every new part of the journey.
Sometimes it feels long and dreary. It’s not all about the mountaintop ecstasy. There’s no promise that this would be the case. We are given the presence of the Holy Spirit, because this journey will include those tough moments. Those times when we will question what’ s the point and for however much we’ve been on the journey the destination seems further away. Others who we thought were going to last drop out for one reason or other. We wonder if the journey is worthwhile.
There can slip in a subtle tendency to not carry on with the journey. A joyous encounter can turn into a desire to set up a monument to that encounter and camp right there in celebration of that event and then before you know it, the journey has become just a regular pilgrimage to get round to this point in the journey. No sense or urge to go further and a concern of leaving what has become comfortable for the unknown. Add to that the stories of others who have fallen by the wayside further ahead and understandably it’s easier and safer to not risk what you have for what could happen. Better to stay with what you know and just whip up the frenzy and excitement about where you’ve reached, rather than see that as a hint to move on.
The tragedy of that scenario is that by the time you realise that the journey was never about making monuments and pilgrimages to just one part of it, you could be left behind. Even more tragically, some never realise and content themselves to their sanctuaries and sacred spaces where the holy no longer resides. It no longer resides because it’s moved on and invited you to move along. But the invitation was declined leaving the husk and shell of monuments and institutions based on a move that had moved on.
God understands the tendency to feel frustration, weariness and a sense of futility. He understands and comes alongside us. Reminding us of the true grace that enabled us to make it this far in the journey and saying that there is grace to enable us to keep on going in the journey. The destination remains in sight as long as we keep in the light.
Though it can feel long, part of what the Father gives for the journey is the ability to persevere. To keep going, knowing that if we keep with Him we will be closer than we ever were. To know the journey is worthwhile. To look ahead and see that we have the grace to finish the race.
We only have a few more miles to go.
(Photo by yatharth roy vibhakar on Unsplash)
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 