**written as we left Italy a few weeks ago**
"All of these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having received them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on earth. For those who say such things make it clear they are seeking a country of their own." (Hebrews 11:13-14 NASB)
We began our journey home today. It will take us sixty-eight or more hours to make our way from our friend’s home in Italy to our home in Weimar. Our journey includes several hundred miles by car, a long layover in Istanbul, a few more hours a the airport gates, multiple security checks and an overnight with friends in Houston. I don’t mind the journey, it’s a matter of perspective. On a voyage such as this – when you trek from one side of the globe to the other – waiting will certainly be part of the story. We wait best when we we are full present with our traveling companions.
This morning as we reluctantly packed our bags and said our goodbyes, I thought about spiritual life as a long journey. Scripture assures us; we are travelers heading home. Only it’s far more than five thousand miles by airplane and automobile. We might spend seventy or eighty years in various vocations and locations making our way homeward.
Like world travelers, we can be bored or annoyed with the process. But a better option still is enjoyment of the journey. Whether we are waiting at a proverbial gate without a bathroom or sitting on the tarmac too long, we can view it all as an adventure and value the citizenship we are receiving as worth the hassle of arriving.
It seems Rob and I have been waiting at our gate for some time now, hoping the crew will call our boarding passes. I can get impatient, even irate, but it won’t help. Instead, I’m choosing to maintain a sense of adventure. I’m confident where this journey concludes and everything in between is just a great story to tell at a later date.
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way." (Psalms 37:23 NASB 1995)
Lord, help us to trust in Your travel itinerary and maintain joy amid the voyage. May we remain present with the people along the way and focused on our final destination; gracious and generous as we make our way home. Amen.