Roads. I have been very mindful of these this past week as I have travelled many, in various conditions.
The best, of course, is when they are bare and dry. The worst is when they are icy. I have found all kinds of combinations lately during this last thaw. What struck me were two things. First, the main roads are well maintained. Cleared, clean and I saw sanding trucks on them. The second were residential. Thick road porridge covering many intersections making them tough at best (think 4x4) and nearly impassible (think front wheel drive only). Where I live used to be a major artery connecting the Yellowhead with downtown. It still gets regular work done on it. However, the recent parking bans had us parking in the back by our garage. The back alley was something else entirely.
Our spiritual lives are like this as well. Following along with God and Jesus gets us results. In Exodus 16 and 17, Moses is leading and the people are following (somewhat reluctantly). God provides for their needs in both chapters. In Matthew 4, Jesus is provided for as he starts his ministry and in Mark 1, much healing occurs for those who follow Jesus. This is just a brief glimpse of the blessings that come from following the directions of Jesus and God. Stray away from these and trouble arises quickly. The cleansing that is required in 2 Kings 23 by Josiah shows how far the people have been led astray by former kings. The Babylonian exile will result soon after. Peter's denial of events to come gets him a severe rebuke from Jesus in Mark 8. Today, his followers numbers would drop quickly and his 'likes' probably even further.
There is more road work in front of me. This coming week I will have driven through Calgary to Canmore for our Annual Gathering with the Bishop. I will blog next week about that experience. Living in neighbourhoods with low road maintenance is just something we have. But following along with our Triune God is something that we directly control. Taking their road always leads to fascinating places and people. Pr. Scott
