Part 18 - The Finale. How to get from here to there in style.
You can travel - or you can travel with purpose and impact.
If you recall, I started this series
of posts with an allegorical trip to California. Anthony was given a car - a Bentley, no less - by his uncle, but there were some issues. You can read that post Here.
Well, Here's the rest of Anthony's story...
So, Anthony is on his way to California in his uncle’s amazing Bentley. The trip is long and lonely, but he’s making progress. Let’s join him, catch up with his progress, and finish his journey with him.
After his uncle handed him the keys
he tried to explain the wonders of this amazing automobile to Anthony, and to tell him about the debit card he had stashed in the glove box to pay for his gas and food on the trip. But Anthony was so excited to hit the road that he took the keys for the car and headed west. As he drove off, the uncle tried to stop him, but was only able to shout at the diminishing figure, “Anthony! At least read the owner’s manual!”
But Anthony merely waved in the mirror, failing to catch his uncle’s parting words.
As he drove, Anthony encountered many adventures, including snow covered roads, flat tires, baking heat, weary hours behind the wheel, and a blown gasket when he forgot to fill the oil reservoir. Along the way, he never opened the windows, or turned on the heat or air conditioning. Through all of this he persevered, and the trip took seven years because he had to stop along the way to work odd jobs to pay for gas, for tire repairs, for an engine overhaul, and because he repeatedly got lost along the way.
At no point did he ever doubt that he was going to arrive in California, and indeed, he did finally make it – weary, worn out, and with a good bit of doubt that it was really worth it since the trip was so difficult.
As Anthony finally settled into his new home in California,
one of his new friends listened to the story of his trip with incredulity. Finally, he said to him, “I’m so glad you made it! But do you realize that your trip could have been so much easier if you had paid attention to the owner’s manual? It would have told you about the climate control, the GPS to guide your way, and the repair services that come free of charge with this great automobile.“ And when Anthony opened the glove box to get the manual out, he noticed the debit card placed there by his uncle.
Of course this analogy is imprecise,
but it is much like us and our trip through this life to heaven. The final destination is assured as long as we have chosen to follow Christ. We know where we are going. But the trip can be much easier, more interesting, and more fruitful if we use the “options” that come with the relationship.
This life is lived in the middle of a broken world.
But our journey is led and empowered by our Master. He leads and authorizes us to use His gifts as signs of our heavenly citizenship, and to impact others along the way. We are to steward those resources in such a way as to see His kingdom come on this earth even as it is in heaven. And then someday we will arrive at the gates and finally see our King. And it will be good.
Let me close with a quote from Steven Furtick:
“By God's grace, no matter what it costs me, I'm going to live by audacious faith. I'm going to believe God for the impossible, to accomplish by and for him what I cannot accomplish on my own. No matter what people think about my vision for my life, I'm going to take God at his word...”
Knowing Him, believing Him, and acting on His promises is what makes it possible to live above the level of the expected – beyond what can be explained by mere human effort or skill. Living this way is what makes it possible to leave a heritage that will last throughout eternity.
You and me – let’s take hold of the “working parts” of the gospel – and live a truly abundant life.
A final excerpt from my book "The Rest of The Gospel"
If you want a copy of the book for yourself, you can get it Here