July 21, 2013

John 3:31

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.

Which is more important: the journey or the destination?

Rick was doing some work with the tractor one afternoon up at the farm. Our daughter-in-law, Courtney, and the kids were outside in the yard. Rick stopped over by them when he finished. Waylan and Ellie went running to the tractor, wanting to go for a ride. As Ellie sat on Rick’s lap, she grabbed the steering wheel. With her little hands turning the wheel, she said to Grandpa, “Let’s go to McDonald’s!”

Of course, Ellie has no concept of how far McDonald’s is or what it means to drive there on the tractor. The kids had to settle for a drive closer to home, as Grandpa soon had to leave for work.

Which was more important? That Ellie got a ride? Or was going to McDonald’s what was most important? In the end, I’m sure it was a ride. Maybe she was just offering a suggestion of where they could go in case Grandpa needed a suggestion.

As a Christian, which is more important: the journey or the destination? Some would say the destination. The peace and promise of heaven is important. This is the comfort we depend upon when loved ones die. It’s the eternal reward we strive for.

Strive for: that’s where the journey becomes important. I think we are accountable for the lives that we live while here on this earth. Being a Christian should influence the choices we make, the decisions we heed, the way we live our lives. So, the destination becomes contingent upon the journey.

Let’s not forget that eternal life comes with the cost: the cost of the life of Jesus Christ. Heaven is something we should all strive for and deeply desire. Yet, let us not discount what it cost Jesus to make heaven so available. Because heaven comes with a cost, let us make the journey meaningful and important. Let us choose to engage in appropriate and grace-filled lives. Let’s not take either for granted because in the end, the two are very much tied together. As much as Ellie and other kids love McDonald’s, isn’t heaven really the more important destination?

Lord God, life is a journey. We thank you for taking this journey with us and being a soft place for us to land when the journey is overwhelming or more challenging than we expect. Yet, we also thank you for the final destination that lies ahead of us. May the promise of heaven and eternal life encourage us to make appropriate choices while living our journeying. We thank you for the life of Jesus which makes all of this available to us.  Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne