I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. Ephesians 3:17-18
Where will this road lead? What is around the corner? Who will be along the road, or at the end of the road? How will I know if it’s the right way to go? When will the road end? Why should I take the risk of going down the road?
This is a side road off of Highway 37 South, just after you cross the Albemarle Sound bridge. There are no signs indicating if it’s a road. I am guessing it’s probably a driveway. It’s unknown where it leads. Maybe there’s a home at the end of it. Maybe there’s a campsite. Maybe it’s a favorite hunting spot, or maybe it’s an access road for farmland.
Driving throughout the district has opened my eyes to the beauty of God’s creation, providing me with opportunities to travel roads I’ve never explored before. I’ve been awed by the width of crops covering the landscape along the roadways of our District. I have been humbled by the heights of cornfields creating walls of green so tall I cannot see over their tops. I’ve been overwhelmed by the peacefulness of empty country roads. I’ve been inspired by the depths and expanse of the multiple bodies of water that fill my front, side, and back windows.
How thankful I am for the opportunities to experience the beautiful Beacon byways, which keep leading me to the beautiful people of this District. Maybe that’s the answer to the “Why?” question above. Maybe we need to take the risk and go down the road we’ve never been down before, as it might lead to a place where a new friend awaits. Maybe it will lead to a place where God is leading us to share the good news. Maybe it will lead to a place where healing can occur, whether it be our own or another’s. Maybe it will lead to a place where we will experience the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers.
Where he leads me I will follow,
where he leads me I will follow,
where he leads me I will follow;
I’ll go with him, with him all the way.
(#338, United Methodist Hymnal).
These famous words were written by Rev. Ernest William Blandly, who was a British pastor who came to the United States in 1884, and served with the Salvation Army. There was a point during his ministry when he was given a choice to take an appointment to an established church or serve in Manhattan at “Hell’s Kitchen.” Rev. Blandly felt called by God to take the road to Manhattan.
Jesus tells us to go and make disciples. Sometimes that means going down the road we’ve never been down before, and being available and open to new experiences. As Christ lives in our hearts through faith, let’s be willing to follow those leadings and nudges to go down the road, where we might just find ourselves in a new place of transformation.
Blessings,
David
If you would like to view past editions of Driving with David, follow this link: https://beacondistrictnc.org/category/from-the-ds/