Faith in a World Full of Orange Cones
I live in one of the fastest growing parts of the country, which, of course, means more people and more cars every day. The highways are crowded, the potholes are deepening, and the next turn may just take you on a detour. One thing is certain: if you need to get somewhere you are going to meet an orange cone.
Honestly, it seems easier to just stay home. Probably safer too. Hmmm, maybe I can just get groceries delivered from those new Walmart drones.
But this morning, I woke up to the thundering sound of construction trucks right in front of my house, tearing up the roads all the way to my driveway. So much for hiding quietly at home.
Pastor Aaron spoke this week about our own rough roads on the journey of following Jesus. We each long to do His work, loving God and others with open hearts and putting our faith into action. But it’s not an easy road. Life can hit hard. Bad decisions, old traumas, fresh troubles, or just too many orange cones on life’s highways can turn our spiritual path into a full-on pileup.
Psalm 84 gives us a picture of travelers who somehow get stronger along their journey, moving “from strength to strength”. But that’s not normally how strength works. Usually, the longer you walk, the more tired you get. But these travelers are fueled by something deeper. For them it is not just about the destination. It’s about their desire to get there. It’s their hope for where the road leads.
The Message Bible describes it this way:
“And how blessed all those in whom You live, whose lives become roads You travel;
They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!
God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!”
When God lives in us, we don’t have to fear life’s construction zones. We can keep going. We can step around the potholes, take the detours, weave through those orange cones, and keep moving in the right direction. Some days the journey feels like we are only wandering, but hope is choosing to let God guide us toward the future He desires.
During the Christmas season, we are reminded of many stories of journeys fueled by hope - Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem in the final months of a pretty important pregnancy, shepherds leaving their sheep to find the Lamb, and wise men following a star for years because of the hope that gripped their hearts.
Hope doesn’t remove the obstacles, but it does pull us forward. It gives us reason to keep walking the highway in front of us, even when it’s torn up and inconvenient. God’s past faithfulness is what fuels our hope for our future. We look forward by looking backward. Trusting nothing other than God’s character.
And like the travelers in Psalm 84, every step we take with God becomes a step that strengthens, because we know where the road leads. It’s a journey with Jesus towards the New Creation He’s making for us.
Reflection Questions:
• Where do you feel the “orange cones” in your life right now, and how might God be using them to guide rather than block you?
• When have you seen God strengthen you in the middle of a rough stretch instead of after it was over?
• What helps you choose hope when the road ahead feels torn up or unclear?
• How have you seen God’s past faithfulness pull you forward into trust for the future?
Watch Sermon Here - Highways of the Heart
