Highway

Americans spend a lot of time on highways: interstates, freeways, tollways, state routes. As I was driving a busy interstate the other day I was reminded again of just how mobile we are as a society. Vehicles in their respective lanes share a relatively thin strip of real estate from the points at which they enter the interstate to the places where they exit. Often we've had the experience of traveling many miles with the same cars in view. We don't know those people, they don't know us. But we're on the same road, heading in the same direction, maybe even going to the same city.

It's prosaic to speak of the Christian life as a journey. From the time of the original twelve disciples of Jesus, the experience of following Christ has been regarded as a journey. People come into this journey from different places in their lives. Some have a dramatic, life-changing conversion experience akin to that recorded by the Apostle Paul -- his Damascus Road turn-around. Others come to Christ from the depths of despair, like the wayward Mary Magdalene. Still others begin the Christian journey like the youthful Timothy, Paul's protege, who grew up in a home in which his mother and grandmother were role model Christians.

There are many "entrance ramps" to the Christian life. Yet once we're on the road, we share a common space, spiritually speaking, and we are moving in the same direction. Along the way we find meaningful relationships with fellow travelers -- no longer strangers! And, yes, there are multiple exit ramps and detours. But usually there's a way back to the Lord's highway. For the most important relationship we have along the way is with the One who leads, saying, "Follow me."