Finding the Way

            I have reflected on more than one occasion that I am indeed fortunate to have a patient husband, who is willing to explain, many times, how the road system in the DC area works or doesn’t work. My mind boggles at the idea that traffic on a downtown street, or even on a highway, can change direction depending on the time of day.

            Last week, I had to find my way, in the dark, to a destination known only to my Tom Tom navigation device. I found myself completely at the mercy of the nav system. When it impatiently, and abruptly, ordered me to turn right, keep to the left, turn around, turn around, I attempted to do just that with the immediacy with which I was instructed. Not always a happy thing for this driver, or those traveling behind or in the lane next to her!

            Being in unfamiliar situations, or not knowing the way, causes me great discomfort. There are days when I am up for the challenge, and days when I find it all quite exhausting. I like to know where I am going and how I am going to get there. I like the familiar route with minimal surprises. Ah, if only life were like that; it’s not of course. Sooner or later, something is likely to knock us off course. It could be the sudden plunge in the stock market, an unexpected and unfamiliar situation, or the loss of someone we love. Unfortunately, death is one thing of which we can be certain.

            But for those of us who are Christians, we can also be certain of life. The preface in the Prayer Book for the Commemoration of the Dead says it so well, “through Jesus Christ our lord; who rose victorious from the dead, and doth comfort us with the blessed hope of everlasting life; for to thy faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended…” ‘Life is changed not ended.’ This is the hope that we have. When we face death, death of a loved one, or our own death, we do not have a vague hope, but a solid one. It does not preclude grieving for what is lost, after all, God made creation, and it was and is good. But, grief does not have to be an endless void.

            In October, we began the first in ten sessions from the Alpha course. The course is an opportunity to explore the Christian faith, a great way to be introduced to the person of Jesus Christ, and to be reminded that we can be certain of him, no matter what ‘life’ throws at us. Our faith won’t necessarily help us when we are lost somewhere around Crystal City, but, it sure does help when the ‘certainties’ we have programmed into our life suddenly leave us stranded.

            I pray that you will know the assurance of Christ with you wherever you are and whatever your situation. And, when you are driving, you happen to notice a car with one of those tyrannical navigating systems, give it lots of room, because likely the driver has no idea which way they are going!