January 31, 2009

Walk Up the Road - what's behind the name

Life really is about the journey. Every day, we all find ourselves at a unique point on our path in life. Every day has its own ups and downs, victories and defeats, opportunities and challenges. What do you do with those, and where are you headed? Are you learning and growing, or stumbling and trying to get up off the ground? That's what is behind the name of this blog.

Now to be completely fair, it took a few tries to land on this. Here is the naming progression as I best remember it:

The road of life
Walking down the road
Walk down the road
Walking up the road
Walk up the road

Thank goodness some of those URL's were all ready taken!

God is teaching me that he has a road for me. And this life isn't a stroll down that road, but rather a hike up it. But its my road, and what I choose to do in life will determine where my road leads. Hopefully my road leads to a place within God's sovereign will. One of my professors challenged us recently to "live within our design". If we don't live within our design, there will be unreached potential.

Now, it may have been by luck that I landed on Walk "up" the road, but it is certainly appropriate. Colossians 1:24 says "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His body, the Church." Rejoicing in sufferings, doesn't that just sound like a difficult but progressive struggle up the road of life?!?! I don't think Paul was meandering down the road as he penned these words.

So there it is, that's where the name came from. Our spot on the path changes all the time. We move ourselves in different directions with every choice we make. Praise God for his abundant grace and love, because without Him this road is dark and depressing.

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path". Jesus, may I walk in your will, and stay within the light you cast on my path. Praise God!

2 comments:

Brian said...

That's an excellent thought, Ben, that the journey is uphill. It fits, doesn't it? Holy smokes, does it fit.

Keep the conversation going. Your vantagepoint as you hike is needed.

the Pulleys said...

Thank you for your thoughts...they were both encouraging and enlightening. I love the thought that went behind the naming of your blog. Hope you're both doing wonderful! God bless...