The Journey…

That’s the theme of the service at church tonight, led by Abi and the Young People. They have invited loads of people, and worked really hard, praying and planning and preparing… when the publicity says this, I look forward to an interesting and exciting evening

I have no idea what the YP are going to say – but I have been thinking lots lately about the Christian life being a journey. So often we go along our way, almost unaware that Jesus is walking beside us, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. I read an utterly brilliant quote in someone’s blog this week

…I’d love to have a thunderbolt, “Jesus appeared in a Victoria Sponge and told me he loved me” story to share. For me though it’s been a slower, more gentle thing…

For most of us, I think that God’s challenges come in the quotidien moments of life, and we don’t catch on immediately. But He’s still there walking along beside us. [Mind you, since I read this, I have been looking at all cakes in a new light, for crumbs of divine wisdom.]

On our way to Austria, bad weather meant we had an unplanned four hours stopover at Frankfurt Airport. It was good to remind myself that God knows what He is doing and sometimes apparent hold-ups and diversions which might initially frustrate us are part of His Plan – and one day we will understand them. Bob was preaching recently about Paul’s inability to get into Bithynia [Acts 16], and how God used the change in travel plans to get the gospel into Macedonia.

On our journey home, the handle broke on one case, and the zip on the outer pocket of another came unstitched. This was probably caused by rough treatment pulling the bag rapidly over bumpy terrain, and over-packing [far too much was stuffed into too small a space]. This damage was our own fault.

On the journey of life, we must learn to go at the right pace, and learn to leave unnecessary baggage behind. Hebrews 12 says

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith

This journey of faith is not a sprint, it’s a marathon – are you coming along with us?