Driven by love
When I was a kid, I remember going on road trips with my family. There were maps for each state we drove through and a compass that stuck to the dashboard of the car. My parents would highlight the map to show the roads we would take. When we set out on a trip there was a plan as to what time we would leave, the routes we would take and an estimated time of arrival. As with any trip, there were many variables that played into how the trip would unfold, but nonetheless, the starting and ending points were known.
Our spiritual walk is a lot like a road trip. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. The start and the end points, the day we come into this world and the day we exit, are not determined by us, but by God. However, the middle is our life, the road trip. We have a lot to say about what we do with our life, that’s the beauty of free will. And what roadmap we choose determines where we arrive. A spiritual road map leads us closer to God. With each passing mile we approach our destination – complete union with the Father.
Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He may have been physically separated from his Father for his sojourn here on earth, but he was never spiritually separated from Him. They lived in perfect union. Our sojourn here on earth is also a physical separation from the Father, but the desire of our heart to be united with Him should drive us to that destination, oneness with the Father. What drove Jesus to this oneness? Love. Jesus did everything out of love. A love that flowed freely; a love with no strings attached; a love with no expectations, no conditions and no limitations. The flow of love is an outpouring of the love stored in our heart. Jesus’ heart was filled with nothing but love, so what drove Him was always love.
What drives us and what fills our hearts? I like to ponder things. This is one of those questions I’d like to take with me on a long walk in the woods. But instead I’ll have to settle for short moments, here and there, throughout the day. Well, there are things in my heart that I wish were not there, like selfishness, perfectionism, performance, accomplishment, recognition, to name a few. If these things are driving, then love is not. And when things other than love drive, we don’t track well towards our destination. For the compass, when properly aligned, is love. When pure love directs, nothing stands in the way of the Lord’s heart and ours uniting and beating as one. So I ask the Lord to show me where these barriers to love are displayed in my every day, with the faith that He will continue to gently guide me, mile by mile, to my destination – oneness with Him.
