March 4, 2012

Road Trip


Do families still do road trips? Two years ago my husband & I took 3 of our grandchildren on a road trip of sorts. We traveled with them through southeast NM while their parents enjoyed a second honeymoon for their 10th anniversary. It was a fun time, although we had forgotten how stressful and yet invigorating it can be to travel with children aged 4-8.
When we first set out, they were excited to be on the way. In the same way, the disciples felt honored and thrilled to be asked by the up and coming young rabbi, Jesus, to follow him. Can you hear them whispering to each other?
“This will be great. Think how much we’ll learn.”
“I wonder what amazing things we’ll see.”
“When we get home, everyone will want to hear all about where we’ve been and what we did.”
“It doesn’t matter where we go, it’s just exciting to be on the road with Jesus.”
The same thing happened to Ken and me on our trip with the grandkids. You see things you’ve seen before with new eyes when children are along. You look for things to delight them, like  the bats at Carlsbad Caverns and stopping for ice cream treats.
The disciples probably saw things with fresh eyes, too as they traveled with Jesus. Certainly this young rabbi was like no one they knew. He was not afraid to talk to any and every one. He was always willing to stop and listen and to reach out a hand to touch those in need. To the disciples, this was all new and exciting. People were flocking to see and hear their master. Even lepers didn’t make him fearful.
“A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.” (Mark 1:40-45)
We probably all remember the scene in the movie Wizard of Oz when Dorothy opens the door to her house after it lands. Rather than the drab grayscale landscape of Kansas, is the colorful and strange land of the Munchkins of Oz. “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore,” she tells faithful Toto. Instead of diving back under the bed, though, she steps bravely out into the bright light and is greeted by the enthusiastic song of the residents.
Everything was new and bright and exciting and interesting to Dorothy and to the disciples as they set out on their journeys. Maybe you have felt that way when starting a new ministry or felt God’s call on your life. Everything is bright and possible.
Even Naomi probably felt that Moab was a haven compared to the famine back in Bethlehem. We don’t get her thoughts in the Bible, but if you read between the lines, it would seem that life was better in Moab because they decided to ‘remain there’. “The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. (Ruth 1) Life is looking up. What could possibly go wrong?
How often do you feel that excited about being a Christian and following Jesus? It can be easy to take faith for granted and slip into the same old routine of prayer and worship and life. Then we see faith through the eyes of a new Christian or someone who has just returned from a marvelous retreat time and we are reminded of how wonderful our God is. Are there new opportunities for you in your Lenten journey this year? What new plans does God have for you? You probably won’t travel to Oz or Moab.
This week, I challenge you to look at your life-ministry, work, family, free time, etc. with the fresh eyes of a child or the excited eyes of the disciples as they first set out with Jesus. What are some possibilities you are missing?  

Next time we’ll look at a few things that might bring us up short in our Road to Home.

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