Musings on a Canyon Road

Our drive to civilization takes us 35+ miles down a remote gravel road. The road turns abruptly away from the wide open, beautiful valley and follows a narrow gap between mountain ridges and then drops down to follow the winding river. The road is roughest through this area and the snow deepens considerably through portions of the route.

How often the journey of life mirrors this portion of our trip. I can focus on the winding, potholed road, hills scarred by forest fires and the deep snows, or I can chose to look up and see the lightening sky, the silhouettes of the mountain ranges, the beauty of the swift flowing river, and a thousand diamonds in the snow banks. You know, if it hadn't been for the forest fires, I wouldn't be able to see the long range beauty of the mountain peaks.

Whenever I drive this road headed home and "pop" through that gap into the broad valley with its majestic peaks, I want to sing "How Great Thou Art!" But when I'm headed from the broad valley into the canyon, I naturally brace myself for the journey. God is patiently teaching me to sing, "How Great Thou Art" which ever direction I drive on this road. I desire this experience in my life: to praise the Lord in all things, to rejoice in the evidences of His care rather than be dragged down by the assaults of the devil. I've spent many years focused on the assaults of the devil. The Lord's shown me that and over the past several years, he's been teaching me to sing a new song, a song of faith.

The road climbs out of the canyon, morning light tinges the sky, God is faithful.