Are we there yet?

I don’t know how long Interstate 5 between southern and northern California is, but my best guess would be it’s endless.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to, once again, make my way up that heavily traveled route, this time from Bakersfield to the San Francisco bay area. It’s been a few years since I drove that stretch of road and had forgotten how long it is.

The days before, I had been traveling through Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The roads went up and down and curved here and there through an ever changing, and often colorful, landscape. The stretch of road into northern California was the final leg of my trip, and I was ready to get to where I was going. But I-5 is one long, mostly straight stretch of road with unremarkable scenery, all of which makes the ride feel much longer than it is.

Even cruising along unimpeded at 70 miles per hour, I felt like a kid, asking myself over and over again, “Am I about there yet?” only to discover I was a just a few more miles down the road.

As I made my way closer to the bay area, I thought life sometimes feels like traveling I-5. You may be moving along at a brisk pace, but there’s a whole lot of area to cover and sometimes it can feel like it’s taking forever to get to where you want to go.

But that’s often more a feeling than a fact.

You are moving along. You are headed in the right direction. You will arrive. It just takes time. Every mile has to be traveled and there are no shortcuts.

The same with life.

You are moving along. If you’re following in the footsteps of Christ, you are moving in the right direction. You will arrive. It just takes time. Every moment has to be lived and there are no shortcuts.

In that case, you might as well roll down the window, crank up the stereo, and enjoy the ride!

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near,” James 5:7-8.

Scotty