My grandson Caleb loves to ride in the car.
Caleb embraces the journey, describing every horse, monster truck, race car, fast food place, playground, and even the bugs on the windshield as we motor along. He keeps up a running commentary as we ride, as if he could pull the wondrous outside world into the car with him. With Caleb, it is never, “Are we there yet?” Rather, it’s always, “Can’t we go somewhere else?”
I wish I could face my daily journey as a Christian as enthusiastically as Caleb’s journeys in the car. Yes, I know I’m going to heaven, but there’s much more to my daily Christian life than just waiting for that wondrous final reward.
I remember singing in church of “the sweet by and by,” but all too often I wake up grumpy to a new day faced with the hard now and now. Yet that too is part of my journey, part of my growing process. Christ is alive in my heart, longing to fill every minute of my life if I would just let Him.
Paul speaks of our Christian life as a marathon, a long-distance run. As a former long-distance runner, I should appreciate this more, but I often find myself forgetting that the endurance of each step is its own reward. I find myself merely looking ahead to my promised finish line, rather than embracing the journey that gets me there. All too often, I start the day with, “Are we there yet?”
But God is patient with me, pulling me up and helping me start again on our daily walk together. He helps me sleepily put one foot in front of the other and take that first step of the new day. He reminds me He will be there when the race ends to sweep me into His arms—but also that He is in my heart right now, helping me every step of the way. And always I hear the whisper of His voice urging me to be more like Caleb ... to embrace His journey for me with boundless enthusiasm.
Don’t let preoccupation with your destination spoil your journey.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Kevin Spencer is a freelance writer and professional editor and is privileged to be a staff writer for Christian Devotions. He lives in Middle Tennessee with his beautiful wife Charlotte and his 14-year-old wonderful grandson Caleb. A former prodigal son, Kevin has been blessed beyond measure and lives a life far, far better than he deserves.