Who cares how long the journey is, when the destination is PARADISE?
When I was a little girl, the NSW road rules changed to enforce the rule that all people inside a car had to wear a seatbelt while the car was on the road. We are all used to this rule now and possibly cannot even imagine a NSW road without compulsory seatbelts, but at the time – all those years ago – this was a really big change!
On the very first day that this new rule came into effect, my father unbuckled his seatbelt to park the car – as was his habit… A policeman spotted my father, and swiftly fined him for his mistake. Dad never unbuckled his seat belt in a moving car again…
And I have been reflecting on that memory of the seat belt while I pray over the last few days and weeks, because it has caused me to realise something of the magnificence of God.
You see, most of the time I operate under the illusion that I am in control. I act as though the things that I do affect the outcome of the matter. And while this is true to a certain extent, it is not entirely true. Yes, it is true that my choices to do the right thing – to please my Lord – will affect my salvation. And yet, it is also true that without the Grace of God, which He so lovingly bestows on us – and without His life, death and resurrection – I could never be saved anyway!
It is also equally true that there are so many illusions of the Evil One that make me feel that I am completely in control of my life that it is ridiculous!
Just consider a few examples… I believe that if I work hard in my home and in my job, I can control my ability to earn enough money to feed my family. I believe that if I eat the right foods and exercise in the right way, I can control my health. I believe that if I teach my children right from wrong, I can control their upbringing to the point where they will only make good choices in life.
What an illusion! All these things are possible only through God’s Grace! After all, I can no more control my finances or my health or my children than I can control the air moving into and out of my lungs. Accidents happen every single day. People become sick. Others are hurt. Others – in a moment of weakness – make life-changing choices that destroy their lives, families, finances and futures. In fact, the only thing I can control is my choice in the moment and whether I am trying my best with that choice at that time…
And it makes me think… I – and you too – are just passengers in the car. God is the driver – our own personal chauffeur! And the ONLY thing that God asks of us is that we sit down and BUCKLE-UP! God is a good driver – a PERFECT driver in fact – and He knows what He is doing. It is as futile for me to try to control the direction of the journey as it is for a baby strapped into their car seat to try to control the direction of the car.
What I really need to do, is settle down into my seat, buckle-up and stop asking God, “Are we there yet?”
After all, I am already inside the car with the KING OF THE UNIVERSE as my chauffeur… What more could I possibly want? And anyway, who cares how long the journey is, when the destination is PARADISE?
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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