Journeys
A couple of years ago I had to travel to Ireland for a wedding. My friends were getting married on the Saturday and I travelled on the Friday. I arrived at Gatwick in plenty of time: my organisation had been superb. I then noticed massive queues. Yes, it was day that the air traffic control system crashed. Would I make it to Ireland? I met up with other friends who were supposed to be on the same flight. We contacted the airline and they said we would have to fly first thing the following day or there was a chance that there would be a flight from Heathrow that evening. We changed our bookings and caught the coach to Heathrow for the evening flight.
By now you’ll have guessed that that flight was delayed. We took off at midnight. At Dublin we discovered that the bridesmaid’s luggage had been lost on route and eventually we got to the hotel some time after four in the morning. And the wedding? It was fantastic and I was still dancing after midnight. Definitely worth all the problems we had on route. Did I consider abandoning the journey? Most certainly not! I knew my friends wanted me to be at their wedding and I did not want to disappoint them.
The Bible often compares heaven to a wedding banquet and we have all been invited. Like my journey to Ireland, the journey is often more complex and difficult than we at first realise. But like my friends’ wedding, it will be fantastic when we arrive and Jesus wants us to be there. Is there any other journey more worthwhile?
David Bradshaw
March 2005