I read something this morning that reminded me of Tanker 852, a post from 2018, and the path we’re traveling.
Holy Spirit chill my affections to the world, and warm them toward Jesus.
Scared to death. That was me, and I don’t scare easy. So here it is. On a Wednesday in June Tony and I flew to Florida to move his mom back to West Virginia. It’d been years since she lived in West Virginia and many of you, especially in January, may wonder why she moved back North. Duh! Us!
She had rented a 15 foot U-Haul, and a transport trailer for her car. Just FYI, a 15 foot U-Haul is actually 22 and a half feet long. This sucker was 40+ feet long. Just 10 small feet shy of a tractor trailer! Anyway, it was big. All in all, these things were the perfect size.
Tony and I left Florida Thursday afternoon. We stopped overnight in Georgia, and on Friday we continued the journey home. Home. Isn’t that a great sound? Anyway, we’re somewhere in North Carolina when Tony asked if I would mind driving for a half hour or so. Urch! Screech! Ahhh! Was he really asking me to drive this mama? Did he know how long it was? This was not a horse trailer. Did he know we were traveling 95 on a Friday? Breathe. The man just wanted to close his eyes for a few minutes. Where was my servant heart? I looked at him and said sure, I’d try. He then asked the dreaded question – “Will you go the speed limit?” And I said “Only if the car in front of me is going the speed limit because I’m not changing lanes!” How hard could it be? All I have to do is stay between the lines.
A few minutes later I ease slowly onto 95 North, right behind Tanker 852. I’m praying incessantly, Oh Lord! Oh Lord! You know how you pray when you’re panicked and you just can’t find the words? Trust me, the Holy Spirit was intervening on my behalf. As we headed on up the road, I noticed that I had been holding my breath. No wonder I was panicked, blood couldn’t get to my brain. About this time I was wishing I had taken a deep breathing course somewhere along the line. As I gripped the wheel, I noticed my hands were white and numbness and tingling were taking over. I had such a grip on that steering wheel that my fingernails were digging into my palms. Slap! Snap out of it girl! I needed to get a grip, or actually lessen my grip.
I had decided that if I stayed behind Tanker 852 and if I could keep my “load” between the lines, the very narrow lines, that everything would be okay. Then it started to rain. Right out of nowhere. Cats and dogs man. The panic again. The rain stopped. Just stay in the lines. Then we came upon an entrance ramp. Tanker 852 moves left. The panic again. I gulp and move left. Just stay in the lines. Then we go over a bridge. The joints were not quite even, thus the “Uneven Pavement” sign. The U-Haul bounced into the air. My butt flew out of the seat – thank goodness I had that grip on the wheel – I screamed! Tony jumped. Breathe.
The farther I traveled, the more I started to relax. In fact, I started singing that song – Tanker 852 was Pig Pen, I was Rubber Duck…We got a little convoy rockin’ through the night. Yeah, we got a little convoy, ain’t she a beautiful sight! Convoy…
Our faith journey is much the same, right?
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.
The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way.
But the gateway to life is small,
and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
My journey is not unlike the journey of Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress. I sought the way home. Christian did too. He sought “an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time appointed, on them that diligently seek it.” Evangelist directed Christian to the little wicket-gate – the narrow gate – the gateway to life! Aren’t we all seeking that?
Trying to keep our lives on that narrow path to yonder wicket-gate is sometimes just as hard as trying to keep that U-Haul in between the lines. Running off the road on the left or right can be treacherous. A ditch. Another vehicle. A bad decision. A harsh word. A bad attitude. A date with Mr. Worldly Wiseman near the City of Destruction. We all know what pulls us off the narrow path and causes us to leave the lines, what causes us to crash.
But, God…don’t you love the but God’s? But God, in designing the narrow path also gave us the means to travel the road to the wicket-gate.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105
The road is narrow but the path is well lit. Well lit by the bright and morning star — the light of the world! There is only one path and we’re told it is very narrow. If we do not have to sometimes walk sideways on the road that we’re traveling, we may need to rethink our road. If the road is crowded, we may need to rethink our road. If there are no warning signs or dangers outside of the lines, we may need to rethink our road.
Because of God’s tender mercy,
The light from Heaven is about to break upon us,
To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
And to guide us to the path of peace.
Luke 1:78
Although we may not always understand the route of the narrow road, we can always be assured that the route will lead us to peace, to grace, to life everlasting, to Him – that’s faith!
I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. John 8:12
Tanker 852 reminded me that we’re all headed down a road. We must heed the warning signs along the way and keep our eyes focused on the shining light in order to stay the course.