by: Evan Gansemer
The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6,“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” There are many paths and roads throughout our Christian lives.
My Family and I recently took a vacation and covered quite a few miles. While on the road, I thought of different ways a road trip can relate to the Christian life.
The first step in going on a trip is making all of the necessary preparations. You wouldn’t go on the road with a flat tire or a broken down engine. Why then shouldn’t we be the same way as Christians? Start out every day by reading your Bible and praying so God can prepare you for whatever you may face. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
Next, we have a destination that we are trying to reach. When you get in the car, you know where you are wanting to go. This can be related to setting a goal. You know where you are right now, and you need to have a goal of where you want to be. Laziness prevents a goal from being reached, but determination gets you to it.
The next part of going on the road is knowing how to get there. If we are going somewhere and not quite sure how to get there, we can use a map. As a Christian, we can use the Bible as our roadmap to give us the guidance that we need. Also, be careful who you take directions from, they could lead you down a road you don’t want to be on. Get your directions from God and godly leaders for they will steer you in the right direction.
Next, you figure out who’s going to drive; preferably, someone who knows the roads and has experience. It’s hard for parents to let teenagers start to drive because they make them nervous and afraid! The parent wants to let them drive but still be in control, but you can’t have two drivers. God is the same way with us. There will be times in the Christian life when uncertainty and inexperience will overshadow us. Let God take the wheel and go along for the ride. We feel the need to be in control, but what we need to do is just let go and let God!
Once you get on the road, there are rules by which you have to abide. I wish there weren’t so many rules of the road, but they are there for my good. Can you imagine driving without any speed limits, stop lights, or other signs that instruct us? All the rules of the Christian road are contained in the Bible. Many of our troubles can be avoided if we obey the rules that are given to us from God’s Word. God has rules in place to help us, not hurt us. I am learning this more and more by raising a child. As a parent, I have to put rules in place because all children are born with a sinful nature. No, your child is not the perfect angel you think he or she is!
When you’re on the road you see all sorts of drivers. The granny driver, the crazy driver, the texter, the out-of-stater, the focused driver and just about anything else you can think of. Don’t worry; if you’re frustrated with other drivers, they’re probably frustrated with you too. You’ll find those who bring their problems with them to the road can be a great danger. Recently, while on the road, I came up behind a car pulling a small fishing boat. The trailer tire on his driver’s side was doing everything but trailing. That tire was off the pavement more than it was on it. I wanted to get away from that danger as soon as possible. If you see an apparent problem, the best thing to do is get away! The best drivers out there are the consistent ones who don’t get rattled by what comes their way. God wants us to be consistent because it is what builds a closer relationship with Him.
Another important part of driving is staying focused and not allowing things to distract us. I’ve had many times behind the wheel when I start to daydream or look at everything but the road. Have your eyes or mind ever wandered from where they should be? It’s awfully hard to focus on two things at the same time. As Christians we need to be aware of the distractions and enticements that the Devil will throw our way. This world will offer things that are hard to refuse. You may say,”What’s the harm in just trying it?” This is why it’s important to stay close to God and your parents so that you don’t have to fight it alone.
Another part of being on the road is the obstacles that are out there. If you’ve ever taken a road trip, you know that there will inevitably be construction somewhere. This is just one obstacle you may face. There will be other things that you may not expect.
This past winter I was on my way to work early one morning. It was during shotgun season for deer in Iowa. As you may know, deer have a bad habit of crossing the road at the wrong time. I was minding my own business when I noticed a doe coming out of the ditch. I quickly hit the brakes! Then, right on her heels was a buck. Going at 60 mph I couldn’t get stopped in time and we collided. Fortunately, for me it was a nice 10 pointer, and I was able to keep the rack. That deer was an obstacle I didn’t see coming because it all happened so fast. God may bring an obstacle into your life so that you will wonder how it came about or where it came from. We just need to trust that God knows what He is doing. All we need to worry about is following Him, and know that He’ll take care of us no matter how small or big the obstacle. The Bible says in Romans 8:28,“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”
If you are on a longer trip, there will be a point at which you have to stop and rest. No matter how much coffee you drink, or how many energy drinks you consume, your body has to rest at some point. God Himself deems it important, because He gave us Sunday as a day of rest. As Christians, we need to make sure we don’t burn ourselves out in God’s work. It’s important to stay busy for God, but not to the point where it becomes a drudgery! Going to church and doing God’s work ought to be something that we enjoy, not something we feel obligated to do. There may be a point when you have to take a rest so you can be refreshed for Him.
Finally, a key thing we should do anytime we travel, whether or not there are incidents, is to be thankful for God’s safety and protection. Too often we take this for granted. A crucial part of our walk with God is being thankful. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It doesn’t say for some things or a few things. It says to give thanks in ALL things. Christians have much for which to be thankful, and most of all for Jesus who came to this Earth and died for our sins so that we can go to Heaven.
No matter if the road of the Christian life has been smooth for you, or if you’ve had a few bumps along the way, just keep looking ahead and trusting in God. He will take care of You!
Evan Gansemer
Junior Church Preacher
Bible Baptist Church
Dubuque, IA