Dear Trekker,
A few minutes ago, friend wife read to me the following: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Hear me saying Peace, be still to your restless heart. No matter what happens, I will never leave you or forsake you. Let this assurance soak into your mind and heart until you overflow with joy. Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea (California predictions?), you need not fear! The media relentlessly proclaim bad news: for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A steady diet of their fare will sicken you. Instead of focusing on fickle, ever-changing news broadcasts, tune in to the Living Word – the One who is always the same. Let Scripture saturate your mind and heart, and you will walk steadily on the path of life. Even though you don’t know what will happen tomorrow, you can be absolutely sure of your ultimate destination. I hold you by your right hand, and afterward I will take you into Glory.” Jesus Calling, (Enjoying Peace in His Presence) by Sarah Young, Thomas Nelson, 2004.
I was literally heading for my man cave to start writing when Barbara said, “Let me read you this!” When she finished, I said, “That must go to begin my newsletter!” Isn’t that just like the Holy Spirit? Always active, influencing, empowering, being Johnny-on-the-spot and delivering His message to us that He wants us to hear and act upon.
All of life is a blinking yellow light to us. God is constantly vying for our attention. All ground, all time is holy, as Moses and Joshua learned centuries ago. God never abdicates his throne or ownership. Events may be an enigma and outside of our control; not so ever with God. He is sovereign – untouchable, unreachable, unknowable except as He has willed to make Himself known to us!
But back to a blinking yellow light. It blinked on Hwy 9 south of my hometown in Indiana. Hwy 35 and 9 crossed about three miles south of town. There was the “Purple Perch” restaurant on the northwest corner of the intersection! Good food! But there were also some terrible automobile accidents at that intersection. I stopped chasing ambulances because of one!
Accidents happen, but we can prevent many of those if we live rightly. A blinking light says, in essence, slow down, look both ways, proceed with caution through the intersection and be on your way safely. What a metaphor for getting through these times, for a culture or a person!
Life in the 21st century probably needs to slow down. Everything is geared to do it quick, fast, and for sure, now! Fast food! I remarked to friend wife the other day while seeing the long auto line at a fast food restaurant, “I wonder if lines are not longer because fewer people know how to make a home-cooked meal?” Fast Internet! Fast is never “fast enough!” Research must give instant answers, or one’s patience wears thin.
The yellow light says, proceed with caution. There are competitors for space out there that think (as you do), this lane is mine. Not so! We get in each other’s way. We compete for space, jockeying for a privileged position in all life encounters. Rare is the man who defers to anybody. Well, time and space move over for no one. We are learning that as we endure the corona virus limitations, aren’t we?
Look both ways! What a metaphor for today’s dilemma! It is as if the people’s physical health and the health of the economy are pitted against one another. A nation cannot exist robustly without a healthy economy! Likewise, if the people are not healthy, alive and well, no economy can survive without a healthy work force. Yes, a dilemma for sure.
Whatever, we must proceed with caution! Caution means different things to different people. I just learned today one chap bakes his mail and newspaper before reading both. Effective? Of course! Necessary? Perhaps! Surefire preventative measures…who knows?
Finally, be on your way safely is the goal. But what is the destination? Where are we going? If we don’t know where we are going, it matters little how fast we go. We’ll never get there! If we don’t know our destination, sooner or later we’ll always confess: “Where am I?”
Sarah Young, in essence, says, be careful about listening to the media pundits. They just have the gift of gab! Better go to the Scriptures to make sure you are on track! If as a trekker you are in Christ, (and you are, trekker), then you/we can say with the apostle Paul: “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tolerance and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love being one in spiritual purpose” (Philippians 2:1,2). Verse 5 is demanding. “Your attitude (during the corona virus crisis and all other times) should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” Trekker, read the rest of Philippines 2:5-18). Enlightening!
Back in Chapter 1, amidst rejoicing in prison circumstances, Paul says in verse 20: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far (Philippians 1:20-23).
If Paul can speak in this manner from the uncertainty of a prison cell, can we not also speak from the isolation and fog of the coronavirus? This world is not our home; we are just passing through. Life (as I have written before) is no more than the vestibule of eternity. With Jesus, we can endure anything here, as we always await Him there.
All blinking yellow lights of this life are a blessing, protecting one from stupid mistakes and accidents which destroy. If we will slow down, look and listen to the Spirit. Jesus is always calling…come to ME, come home. And keep no social distance from Jesus, trekker. Home here or there is where Jesus is. Be comfortable here with Jesus only, and eternity awaits! (Re-read that last sentence trekker, and let it soak in!)
Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
Jim Meredith, your fellow trekker.
