“Are We There Yet?”

“Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” If you’ve ever ridden in the car with little children for more than oh, say 30 minutes, you’ve most likely heard this familiar refrain. The problem with traveling with children is that not only are they the ones who want to get there the most, they are also the ones who want to make the most stops. You have a carload of kids who keep asking when you are going to get there, but then they want to stop every five minutes to go to the bathroom, get a snack, or see the World’s Lamest *ahem* Largest Prairie Dog. Unfortunately, when it comes to road trips, children are easily distracted, and a four hour drive can easily become a six hour drive if you have to stop ten times on the way.

As Christians, we are on a road trip to heaven. In times of trial we may find ourselves asking, like the saints in Revelation, “How long, O Lord?”  In effect, we’re asking God, “Are we there yet?” The problem is that, just like little children, we are easily distracted. We have full and busy lives. Jobs, school, and family all make demands on our time. Additionally, we have TV, internet, and Facebook. We have recreational activities like golfing, shopping, fishing, and going to the movies. We are almost constantly connected to technology in some form or another. We have trouble keeping our eyes on the road because there is so much to see and do along the way. We should be focused on going to heaven, but if we get distracted and pull over every five minutes, we will never make it there.

The apostle Paul didn’t seem to have much trouble with this.  Philippians 3:13-14 reads in part, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul had a one-track mind. He kept his eyes on the road. He was focused on the goal of heaven and he was determined to get there. He would allow nothing to get in his path. One goal: Heaven. One action: Press on. Pretty simple, isn’t it?

We need to learn to imitate Paul and be more focused on our goal. We need to keep our eyes on the road and strive to reach our eternal destination. We all need to make time to spiritually recharge ourselves so we can be better prepared to press on. Take a day sometime in the next week or two and just turn everything off. No TV, no e-mail, no Facebook, and no cell phone (no, you can’t have it on vibrate, either). Take a day to communicate with God. Give Him your prayers and see what He has to say to you in His word.

We say that we want to spend eternity with God. Are we spending any time with Him now? We cannot allow the distractions of life to pull us off the road to heaven. Keep your eyes on the road. Press on to the goal.

In Christ,

Jordan Wise

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