Wednesday, February 17th, ‘10

Wednesday, February 17^th, ‘10

A LONG, LONG ROAD

“You were tired out by the length of your road, yet you did not say, ‘It is hopeless’. You found renewed strength, therefore you did not faint” (Isaiah 57:10 NASB)

Your road has been equally long and trying, I am sure. We call it a long haul. Some see it as a road to nowhere. But those who quote Romans 8:28 know that all roads paved by Providence lead to somewhere. There is an “end” to such roads. “You have heard of the patience of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord…” (James 5:11 NKJV) If He didn’t pave the road at least He steers us on it. There are intended ends. We tire along the way which causes many travelers, like Terah who quit his trip at Haran (Genesis 11:31), to settle down along the wayside. Others, however, refuel, grit their teeth and keep driving even when the road is dark, icy, mountainous and maybe not even on the map.

Challenging the long road brings three words to mind, first, Reality. That is, the road actually is long, often unmapped and fraught with danger. Such is life. No one is required to endure the whole trip. There are plenty of off-ramps and rest-stops along the way. Divorce is an option. The bar is another possible pit stop. Settling down at Status Quo’s-ville is the most common compromise. The text poses the reality of, “It is hopeless”. And some things are hopeless depending on our assessment of them. There is no Superman cape in our closet. Acceptance acknowledges limitation. Everyone has sometime or another came to the stark conclusion, “I’ve gone as far as I can go”, or, reality.

Another word comes to mind, Ambition. There are those motivated souls who are tired along the long road yet are determined to defy every opposition and reach their pot of gold; tired yet tenacious. These, according to the text “did not say, ‘There is no hope’”. They wouldn’t let one negative word slip past their lips. It is the ambitious attitude that spouts, “Come hell or high water I’m going through”, which does reap its earthly reward. Fortune 500 ranking isn’t reached by acceptance. The make or break, trust or bust, personality will not take no for an answer and his dogged determination often pays off. This verse, however, read in context, shows that the long road some people are determined to travel is not God’s road for them at all. In such a case, no matter how ambitious the person is, he ends up with accomplishments never intended for him. So he finally gets what he wanted, but then, doesn’t want what he got!

Still there is a third, positive word that comes to mind, Faith. I take this verse as inspiration for reaching my God-ordained destiny. Sure, it’s a long haul. Sure, we’ve gotten tired. But Abraham, “contrary to hope, in hope believed” (Romans 4:18). He was not one who would give in or up by saying, “There is no hope”. It wasn’t mere ambition for him. Abraham had the promise of a God who can never fail. The text speaks of “renewed strength” and of not fainting. Sounds like an earlier verse in Isaiah – “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). No matter the blisters on the feet. No matter the incline of the mountainside. No matter the days, months or years required to reach the goal. It’s a long road, yes, but in company with the Lord it is a reachable destiny…just don’t try to finish it in one day.