Groucho Marx once said, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”
Recently I joined a club that I never thought I’d ever be a member.
I became a camper!
Growing up in suburban Tampa, my family didn’t camp. Dad was a German immigrant who crashed after a hard days work. The last thing he wanted to do was pack up his young family and deal with tow hitches and skeeters! Kiefers were ‘city folks’. I’m pretty sure we still are! Though we pride ourselves on being chameleon-like; having lived and ministered in rural settings; admittedly, we instantaneously develop copious flop sweat if there isn’t a Starbucks within a half mile!
My wife Michelle grew up camping and loves it. Within the last few years she has taken our four youngest on short camping excursions locally. Unknown to me, she had been praying and shopping for a great deal on a camper. God, being the amazingly generous Father He is, heard a humble home-school mom’s petition and literally dropped the perfect camper for our family at a sweetheart deal in our laps. The only catch was – the camper was in Florida!
Not to be outdone by a little insignificant and minute thing like geography, we loaded up our minvan with maps, snacks and youngins and drove 3,000 miles to the Sunshine State and picked up our camper. We then camped our way back across America over the course of 23 days – the family trip of a life-time.
Our primary motivation in all of it is to make memories with our children while there is still time – a rapidly fleeting commodity.
After crossing 12 state lines, we Kiefers can attest to two things: We live in a big country. We live in a beautiful country! From the desertscapes of the Mojave, to the vast scenes of Arizona and New Mexico, to the lush pastureland of Oklahoma, the rolling hills of Mississippi, to the mossy treelines of Florida – God is a very creative Artist!
We literally just got home. While the memories are still so plentiful and fresh, I wanted to share one special one with you.
During the majority of our cross country trip we utilized our vast national interstate system. Personally, there is a certain comfort and peace that accompanies big multi-lane driving. First you can go faster. Second you know that gas stations and rest areas will be conveniently and predictably available. Third, you don’t have to think much. Just engage the cruise control and go. Fourth, signs are everywhere.
While traveling recently, we decided to leave the safety of the interstate and transverse New Mexico and Arizona on a much smaller highway to save time and gasoline. Personally the thought of exiting the predictable safety of what we had experienced for over 5,000 miles was a bit daunting. What if we broke down? How far apart were gas stations? Would our diversion from the populated interstate potentially provoke potty break panic?!
Friends, the best travel day we experienced the whole trip was the day we left the big road and chose the smaller one! We saw things that were awe-inspiring. We engaged the journey at a whole different and more enjoyable level. The ride became more intimate, the scenes more vivid and detailed. Yes, there were more twists, climbs, descents, stop & goes, and less conveniences; however, the narrow road gave our journey a heightened and maximized sense of adventure.
Jesus once said during His earthly journey, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”(Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
The Son of God, through Scripture, gave all of us the GPS directions we need to experience a full and abundant life – the life He personally gave up to offer us.
Tragically, many choose the most populated thoroughfare this old world would have you travel. Most chose the wide high-speed interstate. It’s a way that offers convenience and many self-pleasing choices – a seemingly safer road. However, Jesus tells us that there is a better road! He is that less traveled road that relatively few venture. He is that way – the only way that leads to the abundant life you were born to live! Admittedly the authentic Christian life has many twists, climbs and stops. Yes the life of a believer is not always convenient. It’s not a predictably easy road. However, I can tell you from experience – it’s the ride of a lifetime! To fail to exit off the interstate and choose the narrow is to miss what real life is all about.
Despite what you have ascertained or have been taught, not all roads lead to Heaven. Jesus made it abundantly clear – He exclusively is that narrow gate and road – the only road that leads to life eternally with God (John 10:10; 14:6)
So, my question is simple.
What road are you on?
I wonder if my camper is too wide for the Starbucks drive thru?
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