You Can Get There from Here
I love living in a rural area. Things here are mostly quiet, and we get to enjoy things like wildlife and starry night skies. We have a lot of freedom out here, too. We can build buildings and burn trash without permits. We can shoot fireworks, cut our grass when we want to, and sit on the porch in pajamas without worrying about neighbors judging us. I know, most of that may sound silly. But I love to look for positives.
I will admit, though, that there are a lot of negative things about living rurally. For example, we can't have pizza delivered or run down the block for something we need for a recipe. Wait times for 911 calls are excruciatingly long, and job opportunities can be scarce. A widespread issue in rural areas is that of bad roads. Some are dirt with washouts and dust, and some are paved roads with so many patches that they are rougher than the dirt roads.
I lost a day of work once because of the dirt roads. Believe it or not, not all red dirt is created equally. Some of it has more gravel, some more sand, and some is full of clay. Clay can get sticky and slippery when wet and can cause vehicles to bog down or slide into ditches.
We got this variety of dirt one time on what I will call our "main" dirt road. As truckload after truckload dumped the clay-heavy red earth, it began to rain. And it rained and rained. The dump trucks left while the dirt was still in lumpy piles, so the unpacked red clay mixture soaked up the water and got soggy. Before long, the road was impassible without a four-wheel-drive vehicle or helicopter.
As I came home that afternoon, I got stuck a couple of times; my rear wheels could not grab purchase on the slick mud and sank down in the slop. I had to calm myself from the panic and, well, pray that I would find the right combination of reverse, drive, low gear, and accelerator. Finally, I slid into my driveway, the wheels and undercarriage of my vehicle coated with sticky clay mud that only a power washing would get rid of. I stayed home the next day, not willing to face the ruts that had been dug in the muddy mess.
On that first day, I didn't have a choice; I had to take the road. Not only did I have to get home, but I was unaware of the muddy mess that awaited me. The next day, I knew what the road was like, and I chose to avoid it.
Sometimes we can tell what roads we don't want to take. We are aware that the hazards that lie ahead are dangerous, and we take care to miss that road.
However, sometimes, we get on roads that seem fine at first. Then, as we travel, we see the potholes, washouts, or the slippery clay. The road that we counted on to take us to a particular place is slowing us down and causing us extra problems. Occasionally we can be close enough to the start of the road to back up and take another route. Sometimes, though, there is no way except through.
What do we do in that situation? Well, I know that when I am in a messy driving situation, I am in constant prayer. But it also helps to know how to drive on different terrain. You need to learn ahead of time when you should take your foot off the accelerator or brake. You need to know to turn into a skid but not to overcorrect. You may need to be able to get out of a bog, and you definitely need to know when to call for help.
What Biblical examples do you think of when you think of "roads?" The road to Emmaus is one. Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus is another. There is also the parable of the good Samaritan who helped the man robbed on the road. And, none of those stories end on the road. Jesus ate and communed with the disciples in Emmaus. Ananias was sent to Saul to pray with him and heal him. The Samaritan took the beaten victim to an inn for recuperation. No matter what the roads were like, there was more to the journey when the traveling was done.
I don't know what road you're traveling right now. Maybe it is a "road called Straight" like where Saul was. Or perhaps it is a slippery, muddy road that has you praying and asking God for help.
Either way, I pray that you recognize that the road is not the end. Maybe you will have to backtrack a little, or perhaps you will have to take a different connecting highway. However, there is usually a way to where God is calling you to go. Wherever you are on this journey, realize that your experiences are helping clear a path for others to follow and building a network that connects all of us. Hopefully, it is a network with pizza delivery. But, if not, may you sit on your porch in your pajamas in peace.
