May 25th, 2021
The gas needle moved to empty. The light came on indicating I couldn’t go much further without refueling. Thinking I was taking a shortcut, I quickly exited the highway before hitting the traffic backed up just ahead. And there I ended up in bumper to bumper traffic going absolutely nowhere.
I watched mommies pick up their toddlers from preschool, tired, yet so happy to see one another. I saw an entire first shift crew exit after a shift change - causing the backup to only grow. Highly irritated drivers stormed down the shoulder nearly killing people along the way.
The quick exit shortcut off the highway proved to be a huge mistake.
And as I sat in traffic… not moving an inch, I was reminded of the lessons I’m currently studying from the lives of Abraham, Issaac, and Jacob in Genesis. Covered with the blessing and the promise of a future generation to come from his seed - Abraham panicked - and took the shortcut. Took God’s promise and worked it out for himself. And we read of the pain in the life of Ishmael and Haagar, his mother, all because Abraham and Sarah took the shortcut.
And Issaac and Rebekah also found themselves barren, waiting for the promised seed. And years later - the blessings finally came - Rebekah gave birth to twins. And God said, in non-traditional fashion, “The older will serve the younger…” Jacob would be served by his older brother, Easu.
And the trickery, the deceit, the race to the finish line to capture the blessing - the shortcut to the promise… in one moment all was changed. The shortcut put Jacob ahead… only to lose everything. He had to flee to save his life - never to see his mother or father again.
(sigh) … and there I sat in bumper to bumper traffic - going nowhere.
My day was bumpy all around… instead of grace - I spent large portions of my day frustrated and quick tempered. The shortcut way to make the world listen. One of my kids challenged my attitude and I found the road of apologizing painfully hard. I clung to my right in feeling justified… and the downward spiral just continued.
Until I just gave up…
Until I just took the long road of reconciliation… the one where you have to look long and hard at your heart. The one where you have to surrender just about everything in order for grace to work. The road where the kids are right and I am wrong … the sinful shortcuts never work.
And in comes the Cross - the picture of the Cross!
The long road. The Via Dolorosa - the Way of Suffering… The road that held every opportunity for the Majestic One to choose a shorter route.
And yet, he walked… for me.
Down the longest road… the road of rejection, shame, and dishonor - for me. Bearing the mark of the Cross upon His shoulders…
And because He walked this road of suffering - I will never have to. Any shortcut I may take that ends in temporary disaster has already been taken care of - because He has already walked the longest road for me.
I’m tempted to list the ways I fail so often in a single day - but I’m reminded to be careful to take one look at my sin and five at my Saviour. I can fully assure you in one short sentence - some days, like today, in particular - I just fail over and over. I take the shorter route of annoyance, pride, impatience, worry… and it never turns out well. It just makes the path harder…
And so, tonight, as the sun sets… I lift my eyes again - fall to my knees again… grateful for a God who provides for my shortcomings again.
A God who makes up for my weaknesses, who doesn’t wait for me to figure out how to achieve my way into His presence… He just makes the crooked ways straight.
And because of this I can say,
“It is well with my soul.”
