Checklist #4: Snacks
By Pastor Ben

“How sweet are your roads to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
                (Psalm 119:103)

I can’t imagine a road trip without snacks. When I travel, I add miles to my odometer and pounds to my body. My snack list includes foods that are salty, an excessive variety of sweets, a few healthy snacks if Torrie is along, and keep-me-awake caffeine drinks (Pepsi). What’s on your top-ten checklist of road trip snacks?
The above Bible verse describes God’s Word as sweet, sweeter than honey. It satisfies us and keeps us moving forward. One taste and you want more. God’s Word is healthy — physically, mentally, and spiritually. It goes well with traveling, too. Two verses later the psalmist writes:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”        (Psalm 119:105)
When do you crave God’s sweet, faith-strengthening nourishment? Consider memorizing the tasty morsels below. They’ll keep you moving forward as you navigate through life.

When sin leads you down a dark road:
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”    (Psalm 46:1)

When your life starts to lose focus:
“Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”                        (John 14:6)

When it seems you can’t do anything right:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”                            (Romans 6:23)

When you’re tempted to give in to the ways of the world:
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”                                    (Galatians 2:20)

When you don’t measure up to the expectations at work or at home:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
                                    (2 Corinthians 12:9)

As you call upon the Word of God, your body and soul will thank you. Unlike calorie-laden road trip snacks, God’s Word truly nourishes your heart. It creates peace, forgiveness, and joy. Plus, you don’t have to worry about a sugar crash — just open up your Bible to revive its benefits all over again.

PRAYER STARTER: Heavenly Father, create in me a deep craving for Your nourishing, life-sustaining words of life. Give me great joy in sharing them with others . . .

Checklist #3: Packing

By Pastor Ben

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my souls shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation.”        (Isaiah 61:10)

From a man’s point of view, packing for a road trip is pretty easy. We usually go with the bare minimum. Shirts – Check. Pants or shorts – Check. Socks – Check. Underwear – Check. Shoes – Check. Check. Total time: 4 minutes, 35 seconds.
Anything I missed? Granted, there’s bathroom stuff & tech gadgets, but I’m thinking more about suitcase packing — what I’ll be wearing. Ladies – What would you add to the packing checklist? It would take another 3 paragraphs and another 3 hours, right?

The apostle Paul created a similar checklist — spiritually speaking. His list includes the things we are to put on day by day. These things will affect our own lives and the lives of those around us:

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:12-15)

All that seems like much more than 1 suitcase — or 1 heart can hold! What do you think? Can your heart hold all of this? Or does it lose all these qualities as easily as some airlines lose luggage?

Before you answer, imagine the morning when your broken coffeemaker ends up in the trash, along with your last shred of patience. Your kindness flies out the window as your non-caffeinated mind flips into road-rage mode. Then, forgiveness evaporates when your co-worker  or boss throws you under the bus with an important client.

Even if you haven’t had a day exactly like that, you know, deep down, that the things on Paul’s packing checklist are too much for us to handle.

But we need not rely on ourselves! We can turn to the Holy Spirit. He reminds us of our Savior’s death for all our failures. He covers us with Jesus’ righteousness.

As God’s chosen, forgiven sons & daughters, we are able to latch that over-stuffed suitcase and bring the peace of Jesus Christ along with us — wherever our travels may take us.

PRAYER STARTER:
Holy Spirit, teach me to travel with gratitude for all Your gifts . . .

Checklist #2: Contacts
By Ben Furman

“I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.”
(Psalm 116:17)

Technology today has made keeping track of our current contacts pretty easy. Smartphones, smart-TVs, tablets and laptops make it possible to take our contact list along with us wherever we go. What a blessing when we need help in a travel emergency.

Here’s another amazing blessing: the blessing of calling on the name of the Lord in prayer . . . Wherever and whenever. We have 24/7 access to the Creator of the universe. From the North Pole to the South Pole, we can talk to the King of kings. The one true triune God is always listening. It’s an amazing blessing, really, but one we easily take for granted.

We have a contact list like no other — a Friend in the highest of places. To remind me to call on the Lord first, always, and often, I have added “Jesus Christ” to my smartphone’s contact list. He’s right at the top of my “favorites list.” Sounds strange, I know. But it really is a great reminder to spend my time talking to Him and not just the others on my list.

As we can see from this Covid-19 pandemic, it’s easy to get distracted by the craziness of our lives. We call our spouses, check in at work, and order take-out or delivery food, but we forget to call upon the One who gave us life. REAL LIFE! God’s forever kind of life!
Throughout Jesus’ life & ministry here on earth, He made prayer a priority:

“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.”        (Matthew 14:23)

“Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.”                                    (Luke 6:12)

“Jesus would withdraw to desolate places to pray.”    (Luke 5:16)

If we went to those mountains and desolate places to pray, it’s possible we wouldn’t have phone service or Wi-Fi. Maybe that’s not such a bad idea. Today, find a quiet place to call on the name of the Lord in prayer, cast your cares on Him, and enjoy the peace He brings to your heart.

PRAYER STARTER:
Dear Jesus, I know You’re always there to listen. Hear my prayer . . .

Checklist #1: Necessities
By Pastor Ben

“For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ
 and him crucified.”        (1 Corinthians 2:2)

When planning a road trip, you’re likely going to make some lists — in your mind or on a piece of paper. The most important and obvious checklist pertains to basic necessities. Do you have enough money, a clear schedule, and a reliable vehicle?
Many of us write checklists to organize our daily lives too. For instance:

* Make dentist appointment.
* Buy snacks for kid’s soccer team.
* Help dad move refrigerator.

Sound familiar? The necessities of everyday life can feel boring, like drudgery. Has your list ever looked like this?

* Make a 2 AM run to the drugstore because the kids need cough syrup.
* Forgo a Saturday afternoon of football because the in-laws need help painting.
* Teach your spouse how to operate the home security system for the 50th time!

It’s easy to get fed up with life’s necessary chores, but that’s only when you forget who’s in charge of the checklist:

“My God will supply every need . . . According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”                (Philippians 4:19)

In Jesus and in Him alone, God provides everything you need. In fact, Jesus Himself is the list! Saves you from sin — check. Loves you even when you don’t deserve it — check. Invites you to eternal life with Him — check.

When you entrust your checklist to God, you see it through the lens of the Cross and the drudgery disappears. Cleaning up after a sick kid? Jesus has been there — He washed feet! Have to help the in-laws again? God grants you patience as you deal with all their requests. Your spouse getting on your last nerve? Jesus offers you unlimited forgiveness and that makes it possible for you to forgive them 1,000,000 times over.

You see, no matter what’s on your checklist, God is at work in all of it. He’s working through your words and actions to show the true Light of His love to this world. Even the most mundane tasks might just be God’s way of leading others to faith in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER STARTER:
Heavenly Father, you’re all I need. Remind me that you meet all my needs in Christ crucified . . .

Stories From The Road
By Pastor Ben

Today, consider reading the following memorable Scripture travel stories. Each one focuses on someone who encountered Jesus while traveling.

Luke 24:13-35 documents Jesus, shortly after His resurrection, traveling with 2 unassuming men on a road tat led to Emmaus.

Acts 9:1-22 tells the story of one of history’s most amazing life changes. It happened in the life of a man named Saul (whose name would later be changed to Paul) after an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.

Road Trip Checklists

“I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. . . . The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.”    (Psalm 145:1-4, 17)

Traveling Companions
By Ben Furman

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”         (Joshua 1:9)

Jesus walked an estimated 3000 miles during His 3-year public ministry. (I’m not sure if that includes His walks on water.) He walked most of those miles with company, usually His disciples. Jesus had a special relationship with the twelve men He specifically called to follow Him.

The disciples had a deep desire to follow Jesus and learn from Him — in essence, they wanted to KNOW Him. They spent lots of time with Jesus, including many hours and miles traveling the dusty roads.

Do you ever wish you could walk with Jesus just like those first disciples? To hear His preaching, experience His miracles, and pray alongside the Savior of the world? But if you were walking beside I’m, He’d see all your faults, wouldn’t He?

The greed in your heart that holds back your giving spirit.
The addiction that rears its ugly head when no one is watching.
The angry shutdown mode you turn on when you just don’t want to deal with your family struggles.

Jesus saw the shortcomings of His disciples too — plenty of them! At times, His disciples argued, didn’t listen, acted like children in front of children, and got upset when they would instead have shown compassion. But there were also incredible moments of teaching and learning, healing, and prayer. Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness were real for those disciples, and they are just as real for you today!

Jesus never fired His disciples, and He’ll never fire you, either. Instead, He frees you from the chains of sin. You can take comfort in the same promise He gave to His disciples:

“I am with you always, to the end of the age.”        (Matthew 28:20)

Ultimately, we never travel alone — around the house or around the world, on good days or bad days. Our Savior is present. His never-ending forgiveness is always here and everywhere. Enjoy spending time with Him . . . Hour by hour, mile after mile.

PRAYER STARTER:
Jesus, I yearn to walk with You just like Your first disciples. Strengthen my faith. Show me Your grace and use your Word to guide me . . .

Making Memories
By Pastor Ben

“Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they
have been from of old.”        (Psalm 25:6)

If you ask people born before 1965 to share some favorite childhood memories, plenty will share stories about family vacations. Often, their time spent traveling together was as memorable as their destination. Here are a few favorite pre-technology memories some of you might appreciate:

Windows open, no air conditioning, eating PB&J sandwiches wrapped in wax paper.
Laying up in the window of the back seat/License plate & alphabet games.
Getting truckers to blow their horns/Photos taken with Polaroid cameras.
Full-service gas stations w/oil checks, window washing, and free maps.

Granted, not everyone has positive vacation memories. Arguments, awkward silence, unmet expectations, frustrations, or bad accidents can make for unhappy vacation baggage.

In Psalm 77, the writer shares a variety of emotions tied to his memories. He has his own baggage filled with complaints, size XL. He cries out to God, wondering if the Lord is even listening or traveling along with him. But then, he puts his complaints on hold:

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy.”                            (Psalm 77:11-13)

At this point in his prayer, the psalmist realizes God’s direction is best. Have you ever had an “a-ha” moment like this? You pour out your soul to God and He draws your heart back to His holy heart. Like the psalmist, you can once again see God’s goodness, power, and grace, active on your behalf.
Then again, maybe moaning and groaning is the only way you can pray authentically right now. The struggles of life hang like a heavy fog and you can barely see the road  right in front of you. Rest assured, God hears those prayers too. Because of Jesus sacrifice on the cross, God offers you comfort, no matter how many bad memories you’re trying to forget.

I pray that the goodness and grace of our Savior will open your eyes to focus on the good, see the victories, and experience the blessings of traveling with our Lord Jesus.

PRAYER STARTER:
Holy Spirit, help me to recall and give thanks for Your unending goodness. What a difference those memories make in my travels throughout each day . . .

Planning To Be Spontaneous?
By Pastor Ben

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”
                                (Psalm 119:15)

A note in my weekly planner says to take a spontaneous trip to Lexington to see my daughter — next Friday at 5:00. (OK, so maybe I’m not the most spontaneous guy.) My wife, Torrie, on the other hand, has no problem deciding to take a vacation with just a day or two notice!

Wise decisions often follow meticulous planning as we travel through life as God’s faith-filled people. But the wise man Solomon reminds us:

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”
                                (Proverbs 16:9)

While we make plans, using our God-given discernment and gifts, we also recognize and appreciate that the Lord’s wisdom far outweighs our human judgment. We wisely, though sometimes reluctantly, ask the Lord to lead us in His way, even if that takes us in a different direction than we planned.

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. . . .Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”                    (James 4:13-15)

We pray tat our planning process involves looking to God’s will first and our own often-flawed reasoning second (or not at all!) If you’re a spur-of-the-moment kind of person, remember ‘tis: the Lord can use our faith, compassion and wisdom in the spontaneous decisions we make throughout each day, too.

He may surprise us with opportunities to show empathy to a struggling co-worker, to pray with a stranger, to listen with heartfelt concern to the needs of a family member, or to gladly forgive, as the Lord has graciously forgiven us.

With Jesus as our travel companion, we set our itinerary. We make plans, trusting at the same time that the Lord will direct us to necessary detours and that the Holy Spirit will surprise us with opportunities for spontaneous acts of grace.

PRAYER STARTER:
Jesus, I love tat I can always plan on You to reveal your ways to me and lead me where You want me to go. Teach me to follow with a grateful heart . . .

WHAT ROUTE?
By Pastor Ben

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”    (Psalm 119:105)

Most trips offer drivers a variety of routes. Flexible travelers with a sense of adventure can usually make great memories on two-lane highways. Along with impressive scenery, those routes often carry descriptive names like, “The Road to Nowhere,” or “The Loneliest Road,” or “The Great River Road.”

Since scenic routes usually take longer, I’m guessing travelers often choose a different way home. Saving time seems wise and the thrill of adventure has evaporated.

The alternate route was also the way home for some men known as Magi, who traveled a long way on what could have been named, “The Starlight Path to Bethlehem.” After they worshiped the Christ Child, Jesus, God changed their travel plans:

“And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, [the Wise Men] departed to their own country by another way.”                (Matthew 2:12)

To keep both His own Son and the Magi safe, God directed the Wise Men to take a different route home. To keep them faithful after they got home, He may have put their daily routines on a different route, as well. After meeting their true Savior, the Magi likely left their reverence for eastern gods by the side of the road in Bethlehem.
Is God nudging you toward an alternate route these days? Perhaps . . .

Your usual path of selfish pride has led to broken relationships;
Your preferred route of pet sins is comfortable but taking you away from God’s Word;
Your win-at-all-costs shortcuts have created outward success at the expense of your faith.

You may look up one day and find yourself lost on a lonely two-lane road to nowhere. But remember, it’s not too late to turn around. God has a path of repentance ready and waiting for you. Here’s His invitation:

“Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.”                    (Joel 2:13)

Best of all, Jesus and His promises of forgiveness and new life follow you wherever you go. Forgiveness frees, lives change, faith grows, and hope triumphs for those who dwell in Jesus’ presence.

PRAYER STARTER:
Dear Jesus, change me. Forgive me. Renew my faith. Lead my life down the route You have chosen for me . . .

Cross-Country Trip!
By Pastor Ben

“He will be our guide.”    (Psalm 48:14)

Anyone up for a cross-country trip? What? Road trip! Count me in. Load up the car and let’s go! But wait. Reality check:
* Can we postpone this until the pandemic is over?
* My savings account is almost empty.
* I might get carsick or Oops, I should have checked with my spouse first.

Don’t worry — I’m not talking about leaving the house, neighborhood, or town. Here’s the plan for the next month: Jesus has invited us to follow Him, so we’re going cross-country. We’ll be taking in the extreme, sacrificial love He has for us and strengthening our faith mile by mile. Jesus will be our Guide, providing the plan, the means, and the resources we need. The adventure will lead us through homes, gyms, restaurants, sporting venues, the open road — wherever we travel throughout each day.
Following our Guide will include daily trips to the Cross, where Jesus gave His life as the perfect, atoning sacrifice for our sins and our salvation. We’ll stop there as our repentant hearts receive His full forgiveness. We’ll stand in awe at the resurrection tomb, where He shares the great news of His victorious, never-ending life.

He will take the lead, directing us by His Word and Spirit. No matter what challenges, temptations, and hurts we face in this broken world, He will bring us peace and joy.
Before we get going, be prepared. God may not always lead us along the route we want or plan to travel. Sometimes we may be absolutely oblivious of the itinerary! He may have to repeat His instructions countless times. But know this: God’s direction is always best. He knows all things. He has the entire plan already worked out, and He assures us that all of it will work for the good of His people.

Ok. We’re all set! We’ll be traveling confidently through each day, for “he will be our guide.”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”                            (Proverbs 3:5-6)

PRAYER STARTER:
Show me your ways, Lord. Direct me down the road of grace that leads to a repentant heart and peace at the foot of Your Cross . . .