Missing the Journey

"The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you." -Genesis 12:1

Abraham was the man God chose to start the Jewish nation and religion. It was a huge task that started with the simple command to "Go." It took a great amount of faith for him to leave everything familiar to him and become a nomad.

It is summer time, and many of us are taking trips to the rivers, mountains, beaches, and the anywheres but home. If you're like me, you are destination minded. There is no greater joy for a vacation bound father than beating the GPS estimated time of arrival. I become militantesque in my quest for speed and efficiency. I start my plan to beat the GPS prediction by dehydrating my wife and children so they'll need less potty breaks-genius I know. I stay alert on the long drives by constantly calculating with precision how much time I can save by driving x-amount of miles over the speed limit while still being safe.

It is no easy task being Dale Jr in an 8-passenger Suburban (mini vans were banned in our wedding vows). I no doubt am a jerk when one of my precious offspring or the woman with whom I am one try to foil my plans of interstate dominance. I don't have time for sights or sounds and unnecessary stops.

A wise person once said that life is about the journey not the destination. When we get in the go, go, go mode, we miss the beauty of God's creation. We can miss amazing conversations, laughter, and the love of the people He has placed and wants to place in our lives.

This holds true for life in general, not just road trips. It is easy to get side tracked because we want our raise, promotion, retirement, graduation, wedding etc...now. We can get so caught up in reaching the destination that we miss all of the blessings God has for us along the way. More importantly, we miss all the ways God wants to use us to be a blessing to others. Abraham didn't get to see the Promised Land. There were many times when not reaching the destination frustrated him and tested his faith. Yet he remained faithful.

Where is God commanding you to go? Who is He asking you to bless? Take the first step, and enjoy and savor every step and stop along the way.

-Captain Bobby Delgado, HFD Chaplain