riding-the-brakes_crptxt

Seat belt fastened, key in ignition, start the engine. Time to play the road game, “Where’d you get your license?”

Draw a card, any card. If I’m in a hurry, I seem to draw Pokey Driver who blocks my next move. If I feel relaxed and in the mood for some pleasant motoring, Bumper Buddy shows up. Some times I draw Signal Fluid Empty, Traffic Weaver, or Big Pick-up Passes Me on the Right Shoulder. And, no one wants Semi Pair Blocks Both Lanes.

In my better moments I can find the game amusing, imagining a website for mail-order drivers licenses.

But, the worst for me, worse than Go Directly to Jail in Monopoly, is Brake Rider. What, if anything, is going on in their head? Is B.R. afraid of an imminent crash? Is their right turn coming up in the next five miles or so? Or, are they simply using proper texting precaution?

Brake Rider does not show up that often on the road, but I do frequently find him, and her, on the road to eternity. They are curious enough about God to get on the road, but scared enough of Jesus to ride the brake. Again, what is going on in their head…and heart?

As a young man I once had to hitchhike home from work because my car was in the shop. An old guy picked me up and offered to drive me the twelve miles to my house. On the way he began talking about stuff in the Bible. He took pains to convince me of the reality of the devil, who, in my book, was a fairy tale character. Couldn’t wait to get out of his car! The freaky conversation caused me to ride my brakes for some time after. Eventually, though, I learned that he was right on.

So, back to this scary Jesus person.

Jesus called himself The Way to get to The Father. He said that no one gets to the Father except through him. And, you can’t get by him on his one lane road.

A lunatic statement, if not true. But, The Way became the way by sweeping clear the road ahead of our considerable sin debris.

Those with their foot on the brake might consider an upcoming detour to a historical site with meaning for today. It is the site of an execution. You’ll find the right hill when you see an ancient instrument of death by torture, a cross, perched on the summit. On that site, by God’s pre-determined plan (and using bad people), the only pure and holy man that ever lived was judged by God in our place so that we could be pronounced “forgiven”. God wanted to do that for us. That’s the message of God. You can read more on this on the page called Entrance.

Yes, definitely, you ought to brake for the Cross of Christ. Contemplate it. Respond to its meaning for you. Then, get your foot on the gas and get on your way to The Father and the life he has for you.