Overcoming Obstacles on Our Journey Toward Home
From the earliest age I’ve been challenged by motion sickness. I’ve learned some tricks over the years to stay on an even keel while traveling in a car; avoiding rolling hills and mountains is at the top of my list! That presented a real dilemma while visiting friends in Maryland recently. They excitedly shared their plans to take me on a scenic drive through the Virginia mountains. I know my eyes grew visibly larger the more they described what lie ahead. Wanting to receive their gracious offer to spend the day with me, I secretly pleaded with the Lord for the miracle of being able to ride through the rolling hills of Maryland and through the mountainous terrain of Virginia for multiple hours without getting sick. “Lord, only you can do this.”
Off we went. After almost an hour of wonderful conversation, I realized that we had passed through miles of rolling hills and I felt great. Then it occurred to me that my friend, Doug, was driving in such a gentle way that he was constantly adjusting his speed to compensate for the curves. It felt like we were on a straight course cleverly fooling my body and allowing me to feel just fine. No motion sickness! This wonderful man who normally zips around those familiar curving roads at top speed had completely throttled down — for me.
As the realization and gratitude washed over me I thanked Doug and then thanked the Lord for the kindness of this brother in Christ. His quiet choice to accommodate my needs gave me a clear picture of what the Lord said in His Word through Peter and John’s letters; we’re to love each other and consider other’s needs over our own. It reminded me too that the Lord throttles down for me everyday knowing that I’m not designed to travel through life at His supernatural pace. The God of all the Universe cares about me and accommodates my needs.
The afternoon scenic trip into the Virginia mountains loomed ahead… “Oh Lord, HELP!” It soon became clear that I’d be surprised again. We’d been having so much fun talking that all three of us had missed the turn-off into the mountainous area. Before we knew it we were traveling in the valley between the mountains. It was gloriously flat. I felt great and at that moment discovered that my favorite view of the Virginia mountains is from the valley!
The Lord wants us to enjoy our life’s journey with Him and with each other. We can be assured that He will chart our course with our unique needs in mine. One thing is for sure, the vistas will be breathtaking no matter which route we take in our personal journey toward Home.
