The Road Ahead

Another year come and gone. Another year closer to
the beginning of eternity. Where are you going?
Your destination depends on where you've been.


Ac 17:2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them,

and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from

the Scriptures,

3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had

to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, and

saying, "This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the

Christ."


It's not just where you've been, it's more
specifically, where you begin. Each year at this
time we often think that it's time to start
something new and leave off something else. So
much depends on where you begin.


We begin by making assumptions. Since we don't
know what the future holds, we have to act based on
what we believe the future will hold. What we
believe about our destination will influence the
ideas we have from the start.


One illustration that comes to mind is marriage.
We begin with an idea of what we want and expect.
We go on with the idea that we really can find
something in this. Then, in many cases, we end
with the disappointment that you can't get there
from here.


In a way, I view it with a sense of humor. By that
I mean it's funny in a way, how we convince
ourselves that the improbable is likely. Even me.
Yes, I'll admit that for alot of life, I've been
'lucky'. In the sense that things worked out well
for me with little effort. Then, my 'luck' changed
when I got married. Now what?


Well, my take is that now, I have to work harder
than ever before to find out how it is that a bad
situation can be turned into something worthwhile.
I know I'm not alone. Others are in the very same
predicament that I find myself in. But even when
you find yourself worked into a tight corner, you
begin to see that there are some things that are
still as they always were. Some things never
change. Some things are always reliable. And
that's where you are drawn when everything else
seems to be crumbling around you. You are drawn to
those things that offer stability to your turbulent
situation. That's where I am.


Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,

and forever.


Jesus offers us a certain and secure future. There
is a bright road ahead.


Heb 13:9 Don`t be carried away by various and

strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be

established by grace, not by food, through which

those who were so occupied were not benefited.

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the

holy tent have no right to eat.

11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is

brought into the holy place by the high priest as

an offering for sin, are burned outside of the

camp.

12 Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the

people through his own blood, suffered outside of

the gate.

13 Let us therefore go forth to him outside of the

camp, bearing his reproach.

14 For we don`t have here an enduring city, but we

seek that which is to come.


The problem with life is that, what seems to offer
the greatest promise of stability and security,
turns out to be the thing least able to deliver it.
Then, on the other hand, the thing that seems to
offer the least promise of stability and security,
turns out to be most able to deliver. That's my
personal experience of knowing Jesus. When my
journey on the Jesus Bus began, I did not expect
much to come of it. I began with the realization
that I was a sinner in need of a savior. That's
about it. It just dawned on me that I had a need
to know Jesus, even though there was no desire to
do such a thing. Of course, after the passing of
time, I see that there is alot more to the equation
than I saw at first. It's like verse 14 above
says, 'we don't have here an enduring city, but we
seek that which is to come'. In the beginning of
my journey on the Jesus Bus, I could see the first
part of verse 14. The uncertainty of the world, as
I saw it, was obvious enough. Everyone knows that.
It's the latter part of verse 14 that trips us up.
What's to come? My answer, from the perspective of
what's going to happen over the next year in the
scheme of world events is, nobody knows for sure.
Only G-d knows the future. From the perspective of
what's going to happen in the unfolding plan of
G-d? We look to Jesus.


Heb 12:1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are

surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay

aside every weight and the sin which so easily

entangles us, and let us run with patience the race

that is set before us,

2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of

faith, who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat

down at the right hand of the throne of G-d.

3 For consider him who has endured such

contradiction of sinners against himself, that you

don`t grow weary, fainting in your souls.