Friday, March 14, 2008

The good place

“In between one place and another, we’re vulnerable to the discomfort of our transitory state. If the trip is long or taxing, at odd mile markers our restlessness overrides our expectation, or even drifts into despair. When trouble comes we may wonder why we ever embarked at all- or simply stop short of our intended destination, insisting (like the Israelites east of Jordan) that the spot we’ve settled for is adequate enough, thank you. The best of all journeys may be a hard road to a good place; perhaps fully experiencing the hard, unpredictable road helps to recognize the good place when we arrive.”
Leigh McLeroy The Beautiful Ache

A great friend of mine recommended this book, and her opinion is never lightly given when it comes to a worthy read. She did not disappoint as this book has proven to be all kinds of worthwhile. Clearly McLeroy is not talking about a long road trip although the metaphor is taken from that suggestion. Many times we find ourselves stuck between reality and a God-given dream that has planted itself inside our hearts. It seems the road is a long one when seeking to find out what that God-given dream actually is or, once realized, putting it into action. Often I struggle with settling for the adequate life, when I know the Lord would never create us simply for an adequate or mediocre existence. We were made for more than this. We were made for eternity. The life we are enjoying here is merely the unpredictable road that leads us to the “good place”, the place we are designed to seek after and longingly await.

C.S. Lewis said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world”.

1 comment:

ME said...

Eloquently said. This world is not our home, we are just passing through. When realizing this, it makes the worries of our world seem trivial.