Lessons from “Highway” 307


I went to a village a few hours outside the city I work in. I had been invited to come speak about the effects of drugs and alcohol on families. As we drove the only road there is to get to the village, “Highway 307”, the Father flooded my mind with illustrations and led me to see things with His eyes and begin to pray.

There is only one way to the village we were headed to. We were on what was called a “highway”, but there was not even pavement at times.  Yet there is no other way to reach this village. The same is true of humanity’s search for salvation and freedom and healing. There is only ONE way.  It is difficult and lengthy and not always a smooth journey.  As we traveled we often were simply driving in a desert trying to follow the tire marks of the one before us, there was no “edge”, no “side”, no road to follow. Sometimes the same is true of our walk with Dad, we attempt to follow the example of those who have gone before us.  We attempt to follow the example of JC, who He himself journeyed a hard road of loss and suffering.  We have to trust and follow believing there is purpose in our journey.

At one point during the bumpy, rough trip, we came to a tunnel, a one-way tunnel.  We awaited our turn, according to a traffic signal. Following traffic signals in India is always risky business, as most Indians don’t actually follow the signals; so passing an intersection or entering a tunnel on a green light really indicates beware, not “go”. We entered the dark tunnel only to come head on with another huge dump truck. The narrow tunnel would never be wide enough to allow two vehicles to pass. It was a face-off.  One vehicle would have to back up. The horns were blaring, waiting for the opposite car to give up and back up.  Imagine for a second, the row of traffic that is now behind each vehicle also waiting to pass the tunnel.  Everything is backed up, and there is no easy fix.  I felt the Father say to me…we come to these type of face-off’s with the enemy. There is no easy fix sometimes. Sometimes it’s hard and seemingly impossible. But as our driver took on the attitude, “I won’t back down”, so should I take on the same attitude, “$atan, you are not gonna win!  We can stand off as long as needed, but you are not going to win.”


As we drove on, we passed grass huts and the cliché depiction of poverty everywhere. As I watched out the open window and wiped my eyes of the dust being blown on my face, the picture was still clear from the Father. The sense of His grace and goodness was alive and well. It was tangible. He was not giving up on this place.

I gazed out the window, sweat dripping down my back and watched as women collected sticks in the jungle and gathered them into bundles the size of a small car to carry on their heads. They work so hard. The women seemed to be in the middle of no where-no grass huts in sight, no other people within screaming-distance. I have seen this before as I have traveled.  I often wonder, why?  Why out here in the middle of nowhere? Why so far from home? Why so many sticks? What in the world could they need all these sticks for? It seems their hard work is futile and pointless.  Again, the Father reminded me, “there is purpose”!  Sometimes we don’t see the purpose right away. Sometimes things don’t make sense.  Sometimes things seem so hard and for a futile purpose…and yet there is purpose. At times, there is unseen work happening- unseen purpose greater than we can ever know.  I could sense the Father saying, “Trust me, obey, and work as I lead you.  There is purpose!”  As we pulled away from the village, I watched as a man used sticks to patch and make the side of his house stronger. There is purpose in the women’s gathering of sticks.  There is purpose in the man strengthening the walls of his house.  There is purpose in the work the Father calls me to.  He is strengthen His “temple” and preparing the hearts he desires to dwell in.

Long roads; difficult journeys; blood; sweat; tears; trials; suffering; loss; faith to go beyond the seen; gumption to not back down during the stand off with the enemy- all these things we see displayed in Chr*$t’s life, and were required to bring us $alvation. The Father calls me to follow in His son’s example. Why should I not expect the same requirement the Son had in my own life, if I expect others to come to know the Father.  Je$us endured for the joy set before Him.  As Je$us said, “not my will, but Yours be done”, I pr*y the Father would help me to do as He requires, when He requires, how He requires, and to not back down when the journey gets rough.



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